The Lost Angel
by Cmd1
Summary: A young future CEO is sent to the once great city of Townsville as part of a routine assignment and discovers there may be a connection to her own past.
1. Shattered skyline

The Lost Angel  
By Cmd1  
  
The Powerpuff Girls and all related characters and content are the property of Craig McCracken.  
  
Prologue  
  
When she opened her eyes, she observed her surroundings, a hospital room filled with strangers. She slowly moved her head to take in the unknown observers who were watching her, staring at her. The young girl lifted her arm and wiggled her fingers. For some reason she didn't understand, it seemed wrong.  
  
"How are you feeling?" A male voice brought her attention to a young man, about in his late twenties. She blinked trying desperately to identify her inquisitor.  
  
"Wh-who..?"  
  
"I'm your father. Do you remember?"  
  
"Yeah." She did remember. Cold hard facts seeped into her mind, names, faces of her relatives, the location of her home, her identity. A voice in the back of her mind screamed it was wrong but faded as if it were smothered by an unnatural force. "Um, why am I here?"  
  
"You had an accident, but you'll be fine." The man whom the girl recognized as her father answered in a strangely unemotional voice. She watched the chestnut haired man turn towards a doctor to discuss her immediate future.  
  
"Try to get some rest dear." A pretty nurse told her. "You'll be on your way home before you know it." The girl closed her eyes, ignoring the fading voice screaming that everything was wrong.  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Twenty Years Later  
  
A red sports car sped down a seldom-traveled highway. Behind the wheel was the twenty-six year old, heiress to the world's most successful and largest company, Luceid Incorporated, Bethany C. Luceid. The company's success had been credited to the wise leadership of the Luceid family. The family was known for having only one child in each generation, each child was groomed to take over and run the company according to a strict, yet successful tradition. Bethany, know affectionately as B.C. to her friends and caretakers, was no exception. However, she wasn't just going to be handed the title of CEO, she was expected to work her way to the top.  
  
"Power on." B.C. spoke activating the notebook computer resting in the passenger seat. She patiently waited for the computer to boot up and play the welcome sound, indicating it was ready for her commands. "Run Voice Player; play file 'lucassign.wav.'"  
  
"Bethany, as you know the government is taking bids for the rebuilding of Townsville." The voice of her father emanated from the device. "Your assignment is to go to the city of Townsville and determine the feasibility of Luceid's involvement."  
  
"In other words be worth our time and money, eh Dad?"  
  
"You are to meet with the current Mayor, Sara Bellum, and determine the costs of reconstruction and the overall psychological status of the remaining citizenry."  
  
"Only help those willing to help themselves, help those who are willing to repay, help those who will appreciate it. Standard Luceidian philosophy." B.C. muttered. "Looks like that must be it." Rising from the horizon, shattered buildings revealed themselves, a grim monument to the fallen city. B.C. knew the history mostly from the civic classes she took while at the Luceid private high school. Approximately twenty years ago, one of the child super heroes that protected the city was murdered. The father of the remaining heroes packed up his babies and skipped town. The police were so under prepared and incompetent that it didn't take long for all hell to break loose. The rioting and chaos was so bad that riot squads, SWAT teams, federal agents and the National Guard were called in to quell the pandemonium. There was even some speculation that the military had gotten involved. Tens of thousands were killed; many more had fled never to return to their beloved city. It was known as the worst civil incident in recent American history. The city had been left in shambles when it was all said and done.  
  
After the riot, a firestorm of controversy erupted throughout the world. Many people began to question the wisdom of relying on super powered individuals for law enforcement and general protection. Politicians demanded that super criminals be treated as terrorists and a special prison was built especially for them in Antarctica. The Luceid Corporation developed a super power neutralization device to aid in the government's crackdown on super criminals. An island known to be teeming with monsters that attacked coastal cities was decimated in an international nuclear strike that was guaranteed to ensure that no life remained. However it wasn't enough, the United States followed by the European Union and eventually the United Nations, decreed super powers illegal due to potential threat. Former super heroes and some of the more radical civil rights groups protested but to no avail. The fall of Townsville heralded the tragic end of the age of real life super heroes.  
  
B.C. pulled into the parking lot of a dilapidated motel. The only other vehicle was a rusted out pickup truck. A trio of filthy children happily played on the cracked pavement casting a curious glance her way before resuming their game. The rotted door to the main office gave a sickening creak as B.C. opened it. B.C. gave the dusty bell a ring to get some service. A blonde man about her age emerged from what B.C. could easily tell was a den of filth, and flashed a borderline menacing smile.  
  
"How ya doin' gorgeous?" the creepy guy asked her.  
  
"Uhh, fine." B.C. nearly shivered at the sight of the man. It wasn't so much the lack of cleanliness and basic civility that troubled her, but the smoldering flames of malice that burned in his deep blue eyes.  
  
"Da name's Boomer, I run this joint. You another one of those corporate types looking to see if you want to rebuild this craphole?"  
  
"Um yeah."  
  
"Ha-ha, well at least you have enough brains to stop here rather than try to find some luxury place in the city like a lot of those stupid pricks." Boomer snickered. "Yeah, it may not be the Ritz but this is about the only place your gonna find to stay."  
  
"Lucky me." B.C. muttered. "So were you here during the riots?" B.C. immediately regretted asking that question when she saw the burning malice in Boomer's eyes flare up to a raging blaze.  
  
"Oh hell yeah! I was one of the rioters. Me and my brothers."  
  
"Brothers?"  
  
"Yeah, we were trashing the place and having a great time, til those army bastards capped Brick. Soon as that happened, I gave up, but not Butch. Dumb s.o.b. charged 'em and got blasted into a million pieces. Ha ha, not me though, yeah I was a lot smarter than that. That's right I'm still alive! HEAR THAT YA BASTARDS!! HOW YA DOING DOWN THERE BROS?!! WHO'S DA STUPID ONE NOW!!!" An enormous and irate red headed woman appeared suddenly from the back door and grabbed Boomer by the back of his neck and threw him back into the living quarters with a resounding crash.  
  
"Yeeouch, ya nearly broke my neck ya fat bitch!"  
  
"I'm going to do a lot more than that if you don't stop scaring away our customers, you moron!!" The piggish woman glanced at B.C. before giving her an accusing look. "You, I know who you are." B.C. only gave a perplexed look in return. "You're Bethany Luceid, right?" B.C. nodded in assent. "Yeah, I knew it. I used to be like you. I was rich once. Yeah, I had it all and then this goddamn city took it away from me."  
  
"City nothin, you lost your money cuz you wanted to be a Powerpuff Girl, and had a big hissy fit and became a criminal when they said 'no.' Ha, you're lucky your ass isn't rotting in Antarctica."  
  
"Not a lucky as you are, you jerk." The woman grumbled.  
  
"You-You're Princess Morebucks?" B.C. nervously enquired.  
  
"Yeah, that's me alright. I recommend you take the 'luxury suite.' It's $119 a night. It might be a lot but I got kids and this idiot husband of mine to feed, and as you can imagine we don't get too many visitors."  
  
"Sounds fine." B.C. couldn't ignore the pleading eyes surrounded by the pig woman's red matted hair. 'Though you could stand to skip a few meals yourself there, jumbo.' she thought while signing the registry.  
  
'Christ, I thought that Morebucks kid was an urban legend.' B.C. thought as she carried her suitcase and notebook into the hotel room. B.C. looked over the "luxury suite" and groaned. It was a basic room with an old TV and a dusty kitchenette, complete with a bed with an old magic fingers plugged into it. "Hate to see what a standard room is like." she chuckled. She tossed off her leather jacket and fell back into the bed in the center of her room, reflecting upon her own childhood memories.  
  
B.C. had a relatively happy upbringing. Her father was Maxwell Luceid, one the wealthiest CEO's on the planet. Though he was usually busy, he did take the time to nurture his only daughter. When he wasn't there, her grandfather Bryant Luceid and her nanny and bodyguard Kay Scion were there to give the attention she craved. Despite her station, B.C. was expected to earn every luxury afforded to her as per the Luceid family philosophy. If she wanted anything, she was expected to pay for it with grades and hard work. Of course she complained but her father would always wink and tell her, "Nothing good in life is free, kiddo. Sooner you realize that, the better off you are."  
  
In school, she was always the most popular student with both the teachers and her peers. She had always excelled at her studies, though she did have trouble with math. At sports she was an unstoppable force, whether it was soccer, field hockey or basketball she always the best player on the team yet she never allowed herself to dominate her teammates. Her fellow students loved her. While she acted shy at first, the many who got to know her found her to be a funny and charming individual. She loved to play pranks on the snotty girls and God help anyone she caught bullying. As she grew older, her raven black hair and soft green eyes caught the attention of the boys who attended classes with her. Her tomboyish flair only added to her charm. B.C. loved life and life loved her back, and not a day went by where she didn't thank God for everything she had.  
  
B.C. grabbed her cell phone from her jacket, and rung up her boyfriend James Peterson, an up and coming programmer for the Luceid Corporation.  
  
"Yeah, waddaya want?" A tired voice greeted her.  
  
"Heh, nice greeting nerd."  
  
"Oh, hiya B.C. You make it to Townsville alright?"  
  
"Sort of, I'm staying in some piece of crap motel. I think the owner is one of those 'Rowdyruff Boys' they said helped trash the place."  
  
"You're kidding! You do have your gun, right?" James was referring to the pistol B.C. carried with her as a last resort self defense.  
  
"Yeah, I got it. Doubt he's any threat though. His wife has him on a short leash."  
  
"He's married? To who?"  
  
"Princess Morebucks."  
  
"Holy Shit! The Princess Morebucks?"  
  
"God you're a geek." B.C. snickered. James was a huge fanatic when it came to super hero history and comics.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, by the way how did the new voice recognition system work?" James personally developed and installed the technology in B.C.'s notebook computer.  
  
"It worked fine. Which means Hell is a having a fine winter right about now." B.C. chuckled.  
  
"Ha ha ha." James replied drolly. "You're killing me. Look, just be careful, alright. I'd hate to lose the only girl in the world desperate enough to date me."  
  
"You flatterer. Don't worry I'll be fine. Don't forget who kicked Ryan Baird's ass for you in middle school."  
  
"Yeah, I know. Just watch yourself, okay? Love ya sweetie."  
  
"Love ya too. Bye" B.C. hung up and dialed one last number.  
  
"Luceid residence."  
  
"Hi, Kirk, is Dad home?" Kirk was the family butler.  
  
"Ahh, Miss Luceid, Yes I shall summon your father immediately."  
  
After a few minutes her father answered, "Hello Beth, I trust your trip went well?"  
  
"Yeah, I made to a motel on the outside of Townsville."  
  
"Good, I've made arrangements for you to meet with Mayor Bellum at 10 o'clock tomorrow. So don't be late dear."  
  
"I know, Dad."  
  
"Are you safe?"  
  
"Yes Dad, c'mon it's me remember." B.C. laughed.  
  
"Just looking out for my little girl." B.C. giggled and wished her father good night.  
  
Done with her calls, she went back outside. She watched the children play until Morebuck's screechy voice called them inside. As she watched sun set behind the ruined skyline she couldn't help but wonder why this place felt so familiar. 'Must be from the books from class.' She thought as gazed at the remains of the once great city. As she wandered back into her room, a small part of her doubted it was true. 


	2. City of the Dead, where the Devil sleeps

Chapter Two

'We sat there in the fields, blowing bubbles while watching the buttercups bloom to full blossom, my sisters and I.' It was the only words spoken, the only words written, the only words visible in that dream. Her secret dream. The one thing she kept hidden. The dream that came to her when she was scared, nervous, sad or stressed. It comforted her, relaxed her. She never understood it, but it was always welcomed. They were always there in the field of flowers. The blonde girl, always wearing a smile, the very incarnation of childhood innocence, unrestrained joy and unconditional love. The redhead, her rose colored eyes shining with an unfathomable intelligence, glowing with a radiant natural beauty. They beckoned to her, inviting her to play with them, to dance with them, to laugh with them. All within a field of yellow flowers while translucent spheres danced in the winds above, while a man in a white lab coat watched them, smiling approvingly.

The travel alarm clock shook B.C. from the arms of Morphius. After a quick shower and the standard morning routine of most young women, B.C. dressed her self in the clothes befitting a young female executive. She packed up what little she unpacked and threw her belongings back into the car and headed to the front office to pay her hosts. As she approached the front office, the trio of children from last night scampered out the door. One of them, a strawberry blonde girl turned towards B.C. and gazed at her.

"Are you gonna fix the city." The child asked staring at B.C. with light brown eyes.

"I might." B.C. answered.

"You mustn't do that. You'll wake the devil."

"Huh?"

"The City of Townsville is where the devil sleeps. The streets are his blankets and he has a pillow stuffed with lost souls. That's what the grown ups say."

"Felicity, get your butt to the bus stop or it's gonna get paddled!" Morebucks screeched from the office. The girl giggled and waved good bye to B.C. before trotting off to the curb where her siblings stood. B.C. stood in shock at the strange comment while watching the children board a decaying school bus. She shook her head nearly mussing her black hair.

"Hmph, weird kid." She muttered to herself, entering the building. B.C. handed Princess Morebucks the company credit card while grabbing a faded street map. Princess grunted something resembling thanks, after B.C. signed the credit slip.

B.C. hastily left the motel, eager to get away from the unpleasant owners. After stopping at a convenience store for an impromptu breakfast, B.C. drove into charred remains of what was once the subdivision of Pokey Oaks. B.C. tried her best to ignore the scorched husks of houses and their silent testimony of the horrors of twenty years ago. However one particular house grabbed her attention immediately. A white, geometrically square, house was decorated with spray painted accusations. 'TRAITORS, MURDERERS, FRAUDS, WHY DID YOU ABANDON US.' Though the seething art had faded from age, the message was grim indicator of who once lived in the wretched building. B.C. pulled over and grabbed a digital camera from the glove compartment. B.C. walked over to inspect the relatively unscathed mailbox. 'The Utoniums' was visible in raised letters. B.C. took a picture of the scorched yet legible box lettering. ' A little treat for James.' She thought while getting back in the car.

"Townsville City Limits; Proud home of the DAMNED. CITY OF THE DEAD.' The last words were scrawled in the usual manner befitting graffiti. As bad as Pokey Oaks was, it a cakewalk compared to the decimated streets of downtown Townsville. The streets were a labyrinth of bomb craters, collapsed building fronts, burnt out cars and other debris. B.C., frustrated by the urban maze finally coaxed a young state worker to take time out from cleaning up a pile of rubble to draw directions on B.C.'s street map to city hall.

"Don't waste your time with anyone older than twenty, ma'am." He told her, "Anyone older than that are so messed up from the riots, you can barely get a thing out of most of 'em." B.C. wasn't too surprised at what the worker told her. The city looked as if Hell itself had erupted and consumed the place. While streets that the workman drew out for her were relatively clear, it was still tricky to navigate them due to small chunks of concrete and potholes littering the city corridors.

After some difficult driving, B.C. eventually reached City Hall. The old building was scarred from the events of twenty years ago, but still in relatively good condition. A few state workers, were busy cleaning the grounds around the seat of city government. B.C. entered the building and signed in the registry. The nineteen-year-old security guard pointed out the direction to the Mayor's office and resumed drinking his coffee. B.C. was greeted by the Mayor's secretary, a young woman whom B.C. figured to be a recent high school graduate.

"Mayor Bellum will see you shortly, Miss Luceid."

"Thank you." B.C. noticed an old newspaper as she sat down on the worn but comfortable chair. 'CITY MOURNS FALLEN HERO' the paper declared. Curious B.C. took the newspaper and began reading. 'Buttercup Utonium was declared dead by city police, in a press conference yesterday. Professor Utonium confirmed that the bloody clothing found by searchers on May 19th belonged to the famous superhero. Buttercup is survived by her father and two sisters..'

"Miss Luceid, the Mayor will see you now." B.C. dropped the newspaper, startled by the mayor's secretary. The young woman gave apologetic glance towards B.C. The young executive chuckled nervously, picked up the paper and put it back on the table where she found it. Before entering the office, the secretary pulled B.C. aside. "Ms. Bellum lost someone very important to her during the riots, please keep that in mind."

"Of course." B.C. gave the girl a reassuring smile before entering the Mayor's office.

B.C. scanned the mayor's office. The walls were adorned with multiple paintings of a strange old man, his right eye in a permanent squint, a monocle gracing his left, wearing old-fashioned clothes and sash proudly declaring his position as mayor. Sitting at a wooden desk was a middle aged woman, her hair turning from red to silver, clothed in black, a dark veil hiding her face from the rest of the world.

"You-You're.." The woman had sounded as is if she were addressing a ghost.

"Err.. I'm Bethany Luceid." B.C. introduced herself nervously, her thoughts turning towards the sidearm she tucked away in her dress jacket.

"Yes. Yes, of course. My apologies, Miss Luceid." Mayor Bellum seemed to calm down after B.C.'s introduction. "I'd like to thank you for coming out here today. I really don't have much to say, the government has prepared an estimation of the cost of repairs." The mayor said handing B.C. a manila envelope. "If you'd like, I can arrange for a police officer to give you a tour of the city."

"That'd be fine. Miss Bellum, if you don't mind me asking, why has it taken so long for the government to try to rebuild your city?"

Miss Bellum sighed sadly before answering, "Politics, I suppose. After the riots had ended, too many politicians wanted to make an example of us. The former mayor of Citisville was recently elected to congress, and had decided to use the opportunity to further his own career by sending the country on an anti-super power rampage. Townsville was a result of 'super hero dependence' he said, and others followed. The nation turned its eyes towards preventing our tragedy from repeating itself and forgotten about the people it left behind."

"Th-That's terrible."

"Yes, perhaps." Ms. Bellum turned her gaze towards the largest painting of the old man. "His last words were 'it was because we betrayed her. It was the price all of Townsville had to pay.' It was probably the most meaningful thing he ever said." The mayor glanced out the window noticing a patrol car pulling into the parking lot and activated the intercom, "Miss Weiss, one of our police officers has arrived. Please escort Miss Luceid outside and ask the officer to give her a tour of the city."

'Yes Miss Bellum.' The secretary's voice crackled over the intercom. Miss Weiss entered the office ready to receive her charge.

"Thank you once again for coming Miss Luceid. I wish I could talk to you longer but I have some important business to attend to."

"I'm glad to have met you Miss Bellum. I'll make my report to the company board as soon as I return. They'll contact you as soon as they've made a decision." B.C. shook hands with the aging mayor and left with Miss Weiss. The young woman led B.C. outside and spoke to the policeman leaning on a patrol car.

"Hmm, seems they sent a real cutie this time, eh Ashley." The cop smiled in B.C.'s direction.

"Knock it off, jerk. Miss Lucied this is Lieutenant Mitchellson, one of our city's _finest_."

"You can call me Mitch. Nice to meetcha." The cop told B.C. still smiling.

"Likewise. You can call me B.C." B.C. took an instant liking to the brown haired officer. The two shook hands and Mitch escorted B.C. to his car.

Sara Bellum watched sadly as the young CEO to be left in the black and white patrol car. Deep down she knew that Townsville was dead and was never coming back. The young people were leaving at an alarming rate, and the old people, those who could remember the riots and the terrible events that led to them had either ran out or were in poor mental condition. The end was near and no one was going to stop it from happening. Miss Bellum's thought turned toward her young visitor. 'Strange, for a moment I thought it was her.' The mayor thought silently while staring at an old picture of her city's lost angel.

B.C. thought to herself while Mitch talked about what the many ruined buildings used to be and what the occasional still standing building is.

"Somethin' on your mind?" Mitch asked when he noticed his less than captive audience.

"Actually, I'm a little curious about the super hero who was killed. What happened to her?" Mitch frowned at B.C.'s question, "I'm sorry, was that something I shouldn't have ask."

"Nah, it's okay. Buttercup was her name. She was a real piece of work. Tough as they came, and she was a lot of fun to hang out with." Mitch gave a sad sigh before continuing, "One day she and the other Powerpuff Girls were fighting Mojo Jojo, some super criminal monkey or chimp or something. I don't know the details but somehow Buttercup blew him up, killing the bastard. Next thing you knew, people starting whispering about her, giving her dirty looks, all sorts of crap. One day she just left. Don't know why personally, she just did. Few days later, the girls got a call on their hotline and just took off from class."

"Class? You mean they were kids?"

"Yeah, you didn't know that." B.C. turned beet red, 'Duh, B.C., those freaks at the hotel were practically your age. If James knew I didn't know the Powerpuff Girls were kids, he'd never let me hear the end of it.'

"Heh, don't worry about it. Anyways, they announced on the news that they found her dress in the woods all tore up and soaked in blood. After the funeral, their old man grabbed 'em and took off. Never saw any of the again. I think you know what happened next."

"The riots." B.C. answered quietly.

"Yep, I was lucky, the trailer park where I lived wasn't touched. My wife on the other hand.. Poor kid used to live next door to 'em. She was their best friend, she never was the same after that day."

"I see." B.C. responded sympathetically. The police car pulled over next to a cemetery.

"That's where they buried what was left of her, if you wanna take a look."

"Aren't you coming?" B.C. asked as she got out of the car.

"Nah, too many bad memories for me in there."

B.C. shrugged and entered the rusty gates leading to the final resting place of many of Townsville's citizens.

'God, it's like out of a horror movie.' B.C. thought nervously as she walked up the cracked and torn path. The grass was yellow, a few sprinklers spat a weak stream of water. The landscape was marked by crumbling monuments diminishing from years of neglect, their inscriptions fading. B.C. made out a few names, 'Fuzzy Lumpkins, Sanford D. Engleberry, (illegible) Morebucks.' B.C. came to a complete halt when she noticed a fine marble statue situated beyond the point where the path split in different directions. Unlike the other gravesites, this one had been well taken care of. The grass around the monument was green and well groomed. Plastic flowers were carefully arranged around the statue. The girl the statue depicted folded her arms, looking out on the world with a mischievous smile on her eternal face. A bronze plaque at the base of the statue read, 'Buttercup Utonium – Our Lost Angel. Rest in eternal peace.' B.C. felt a chill run up her spine as she gazed upon the grand monument. A voice in the back of her head that she thought had been long silenced screamed that she was looking at a false grave.

"A real beaut, ain't she." B.C. swung around to find a strange man standing a few feet behind her.

"Who're you." B.C. growled reaching for her gun. The man definitely looked suspicious. His clothes were filthy and ragged. His green complexion gave him a reptilian appearance. Worst of all, it was clear he had been drinking, smelling heavily of potent liqueurs.

"Hey relax, I'm da caretaker here. Da name's Ace."

"Doing a bang up job here Ace." B.C. replied sarcastically.

"Meh, none of dese joiks are worth it. Ain't worth da dirt dey're buried under. Buttercup on the other hand.." Ace paused to take a swig from the flask he had at his side. "She was the only one who ever treated me nice and I spit it back in her face." Ace's voice was heavy with regret. "I was just going to put these pictures out." Ace lovingly propped the pictures if front of the marble tombstone and staggered off to wherever he came from. B.C. looked at the pictures. The first one was the girl standing in the same pose as the statue above, the second was that same girl beating the crap out of some thug. The final picture shocked B.C. to her core. There the girl was posing with her family, the same ones from B.C.'s dream. The blonde girl in blue, the redheaded girl in pink, the man in the white coat, all with the late black haired, green eyed girl.

"H-how.. they're.. it's them, but how? Th-that's impossible" B.C. gawked at the photographs for a few minutes before summoning the resolve to take a picture of them with her own digital camera. Confused and a little scared, B.C. walked backed to the spot where Mitch was waiting for her.

Mitch lazily puffed away at the cigarette he lit up while his guest was visiting the cemetery. He noticed the young woman walking through the gates, looking a bit pale and scared. "Hey, are you alright. Ace didn't do anything to you, did he?"

"Huh, oh umm, no , no he didn't do anything. I'm fine thanks."

"Hmm, okay then, want to see anything else?"

"No, not really." B.C. got back into the patrol car, which then headed back to city hall. B.C. asked about the people and how they felt about any future reconstruction.

"In all honesty, I don't think you should waste your money or time." Mitch told her. "The younger people are moving out, hell, I'm about to get transferred to the Villageburg City Police myself. All the old folks, they're gone in the head. Hell, even if you tried to fix up the place, they'd try to stop you, afraid you might wake HIM up."

"Him? You mean.."

"Yeah, you've heard the saying right?"

"Where the devil sleeps." B.C. nearly shuddered when she thought of the creepy girl.

"The streets are his blankets, he has a pillow stuffed with lost souls. The curse of the city of the dead."

"Creepy."

"No kidding. Yeah, the wife and me are getting out of here. Hate to leave my hometown but there's nothing left for us here."

"Hmm." B.C. nodded while listening to the Lieutenant.

Mitch dropped B.C. off at her car and bid her farewell. B.C. got into the sports car and promptly left the remains of Townsville. She stopped at a rest area thirty miles after her stomach angrily reminded her it was time for lunch. After using the thankfully empty bathroom to change from her dress clothes to her more comfortable jeans and sweatshirt, B.C. grabbed a packet of trail mix from the backseat and scarfed it. Using the LCD display to look at the eerie pictures she took at the cemetery, B.C. thought about the family of the slain Buttercup. Who were they, why did appear in that one dream she always had, why did Buttercup never appear. She wanted answers, and there was only one way to get them. B.C. pulled out her cell phone and called up James.

"Hello?"

"Hi, James, it's me."

"Hi, sweetie, how was Townsville?"

"Uhh, I'll talk about it later, I need you to do me a huge favor."

"Sure, what do you need."

"I need you to find out what happened to the Utonium family, where are they now."

"The Utonium family? You mean the Powerpuff Girls?"

"Yeah!"

"I don't know, B.C., I mean they vanished right before the Townsville riots. What do want with them anyways?"

"It's kinda personal right now. Please, sweetie, for me."

"Alright, I'll see what I can dig up."

"Thanks, I owe you one. Love ya, bye-bye." B.C. hung up her phone and slipped it back in her pocket. 'He'll find something. I mean this is the guy who broke into the high school computer and listed all teachers as dead.' B.C. took one last breath of fresh air before getting back into her car and driving to Citiesville.


	3. Bubbles's Lament

Chapter 3

B.C. threw her suitcase on the soft bed in the hotel room where she decided to spend the night. It took her several hours to drive to Citiesville and she was officially sick of travelling. But her main concern was James's progress in finding the Powerpuff Girls, the girls who now haunted her thoughts. 'What the hell is taking so long.' She thought irritated from the lack of response from her boyfriend. On cue, her cell phone rang. 'About friggin time.'

"Beth?"

"Oh, hi Dad." 'Aw crap.'

"So, did everything go alright in Townsville."

"Yeah, I was just starting to type up my report until you called."

"Oh really, that's not like you. You usually wait until the last minute before you do anything that doesn't involve having fun." Her father laughed. 'Called my bluff' B.C. thought upon hearing her father's response. "Well, I'll let you get back to work. I look forward to seeing you soon, dear."

"Bye, Dad, love ya lots."

"I love you too."

B.C. hung up and turned her attention toward her laptop. 'Guess I should do something productive while I wait for James to call.' B.C. opened the computer and began typing her report. Her father was right, she would have put the report off and gone nightclubbing if it weren't for the fact she didn't want to leave the quiet hotel room so she could talk to James when he finally called.

An hour past, until B.C. gave up on trying to accomplish anything. She was too distracted by her thoughts about the family picture she found in Townsville Cemetery. Frustrated and annoyed, she flopped down on the hotel bed and sighed. 'Maybe they're too well hidden. I don't know. I feel like I'm going nuts. Maybe I just saw them before. I mean, I always did want sisters. No, I've never seen them before. But why do I dream about them? This is too weird.' B.C.'s thoughts were interrupted by her cell phone's ring. B.C. grabbed the device and checked the screen to make sure it was James, it was.

"Hello?"

"Hey babe, found something for you."

"R-Really? What, what is it!?"

"It turns out one of them owns a comic book store in Citiesville."

"No way. Do you have a phone number, a name?" 'What luck.' B.C. excitedly thought.

"Ha-Ha, yeah, her name is Bubbles Utonium, the name of the shop is Dragonfly Comics.." B.C. wrote down the information as James gave it to her.

"Oh man, I owe you big. I really appreciate this James."

"Anything for my one and only."

"Ha-ha, thanks again James. See you when I get back."

"Alright, hurry back now. Everyone is starting to miss you. Love ya, bye."

After James hung up, B.C. dialed the number that her boyfriend gave to her.

"Dragonfly Comics, this is Ed." A loud, male voice answered.

"I need to speak with Miss Utonium, please."

"Who?"

"The owner."

"..?"

"Bubbles?"

"Oh, Okay. HEY BOSS, YOU GOT A PERSON ON THE CALL!!!" B.C. winced as Ed loudly called out for the owner whom B.C. was trying to reach.

"(click) This is Bubbles, thank you for calling, how may I help you." A squeaky, cute, female voice answered.

"Um, hi, I'm Bethany Luceid."

"Oh, how may I help you, Miss Luceid?"

"Well, my company was considering making a bid on the reconstruction of Townsville and I'd like to talk to you about it, if you don't mind."

"Reconstructing Townsville? "Bubbles had a hint of anger in her voice, "I thought you guys were into electronics and stuff."

"Well yeah, we do that too, but the Luceid Company also has a construction division."

"I see. Sure, I'll talk to you. Why don't you meet me tomorrow at my shop, say around nine."

"That'll be fine."

"Great, let me tell you how to get here." Bubbles gave the directions how to get from B.C.'s hotel to Dragonfly Comics. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Thank you, goodbye."

Bubbles hung up the office phone. 'Reconstruction of Townsville, huh? Not if I can help it.' Bubbles thought. The thought of the city that robbed her of her beloved sister being rebuilt filled her with a silent rage. Bubbles vowed that Bethany Luceid and her company were going to leave that awful place a pile of smoldering rubble.

Bubbles thought about the events that happened so many years ago. It was a day like any other day. The hotline rang, as it always did and Blossom answered it as always.

"C'mon girls, Mojo Jojo is attacking Townsville." Blossom ordered.

"Again!? Geeze, why do they keep letting him out of jail?" Buttercup griped.

"I thought you liked kicking Mojo's butt, Buttercup." Bubbles commented innocently.

"Yeah-yeah, let's just get this over with." Buttercup snarled.

The girls flew to where Mojo was attacking. The mutated simian was piloting another one of his giant robots, this one was armed with a huge laser on its side. Bubbles was more worried about Buttercup than she was about Mojo. She could have sworn she heard her sister mutter, "Same thing, we stop him, throw him in jail, and then they let him back out." Mojo noticed his adversaries and grinned wildly. The laser began to glow and whir as Mojo Jojo charged the device.

"Get ready girls." Blossom said in a low voice. The trio prepared to dodge the expected attack, but suddenly, Mojo Jojo did something unexpected. He swiveled the top half of the robot and pointed the laser at the crowd of onlookers.

"Omigosh, he's gonna shoot the townspeople!" Bubbles exclaimed in sheer horror. They were to far away to physically stop Mojo from discharging the lethal blast. A red light streaked from Buttercup's eyes striking the device. The blast from the resulting explosion threw the girls a few hundred feet back in the air, nearly crashing into the building that was behind them. The deafening boom had shattered nearby windows. The girls quickly recovered and flew over to the remains of Mojo's robot. The top half, which once threatened the lives of the people, was now a shredded piece of scrap metal. Buttercup stopped in midair staring at the remains, her expression was one of pure terror. Blossom picked up a piece of debris from where the cockpit remains were. She dropped it when she saw what was beneath.

"Mojo Jojo, he-he's gone." Blossom stammered.

"N-n-no-no way! That's impossible." Buttercup rushed up to smoking wreckage and saw for herself what Blossom had seen. "I-I didn't mean.. It was an accident.. I didn't want to.. Oh God, I'm sorry, I'M SO SORRY!!!" Buttercup flew off nearly crying.

Blossom sadly sighed and looked at Bubbles, "Follow her and make sure she's alright. I'll take care of things here." Bubbles flew off after her sister, but it was too late, she was already gone. Bubbles searched Townsville for hours, trying to find her missing sister. Finally giving up, Bubbles rested on the top of a skyscraper and began to cry, fearing for Buttercup, when a small voice called out to her. Bubbles looked up to see Buttercup looking at her with sorrowful eyes.

"Bubbles, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

Bubbles rushed over to the green eyed puff and hugged her. "Where were you, I was looking for you and I couldn't find you and Igotscaredthatyouranawayforever.."

"Hey, take it easy. I just went to talk to Miss Kay, that's all."

"Who's Miss Kay?"

"She's a friend. She's been helping me out with.. myself lately." Bubbles looked at her sister and sniffed, still worried about her sister. "Let's go home, the Professor and Blossom are probably worried about us." Buttercup gave the frightened puff a weak smile in a vain attempt to reassure her. The two flew home silently together. When they got home, Blossom and the Professor had been waiting for them. The professor took Buttercup aside to talk to her, to make sure she was alright. Bubbles watched sadly as her father led the black haired child to the lab, still worrying about the girl and consequences of what she had done.

As the days went by, people started talking. Suspicious and disapproving glances were thrown Buttercup's way. The toughest fighter seemed to blow off the scorn, but Bubbles could tell it really hurt poor Buttercup. Then one day it happened, Bubbles was playing in the lab and accidentally broke the Professor's latest invention. When the Professor discovered the machine, Buttercup was immediately blamed. Bubbles stayed silent, she didn't want to get into trouble. Of course, Buttercup denied she was the one, but the Professor and Blossom would hear none of it. Buttercup was banished to the girl's room, until they got the truth. Blossom followed her sister, angered at her lack of cooperation.

"Why can't you take responsibility for what you've done. The Professor worked real hard on that invention and you destroyed it."

"For the last, it wasn't me. I'm not gonna fess up to something I didn't do."

"Right, like you didn't kill Mojo." A cheap shot on Blossom's part, Bubbles had thought.

"THAT WAS AN ACCIDENT!!!"

"Sometimes I wonder." Buttercup's eyes were filled with shock and hurt when Blossom said that.

"Just stay away from me." Buttercup then took off to their room and slammed the door with enough force to crack the surrounding walls. Hours had past and the guilt Bubbles had been feeling had festered up to the point that young girl could no longer stand it. The blonde flew up to the Professor and admitted that she was the guilty party.

"Bubbles, why didn't you say anything? You know your sister is going through some hard times right now." The Professor admonished the child.

"I-I'm sorry. I was scared and I-I didn't want to.." Bubbles's eyes filled with tears as she tried to explain her lack of actions.

"Never mind, dear. Let's just go upstairs and apologize to your sister." When the pair had entered the girls' room, Buttercup was gone. There was a note on the bed. 'Oh no, Buttercup ran away.' Bubbles had thought when the Professor took the note and read it.

"What does it say, Professor?"

"It's to the people of Townsville. 'Because of your ingratitude and lack of respect, I, Buttercup, will only offer protection to my family and the few friends who haven't turned on me. I no longer wish to act as your entertainment. I know you've been releasing criminals just so me and my sisters can fight them for your pleasure and then you treat me like dirt when an accident happens. Well I've had it with you jerks. From now on, I'm not going to bust my butt so you all can get your kicks.. ' Bubbles, did you know she felt this way?"

"She did seem kinda mad about fighting crime lately. But where is she?"

"I don't know dear, let's just hope she comes home soon."

Unfortunately, Buttercup didn't come home. Days had past since Buttercup had come home. One day the remaining girls were attending class, when the hotline rang.

"What's the.. Professor? Okay. Miss Keane the Professor says he needs to talk to you." Blossom handed the phone to Miss Keane.

"Yes Professor?" Miss Keane nearly went pale, "I see. Yes, I'll send them home right away." Miss Keane looked at the girls solemnly, "Girls, your father needs you to talk you at your home." Miss Keane gulped before continuing, "It's about Buttercup." Bubbles was frightened, 'Please let her be alright.' She silently prayed. The girls got home as fast they could, fearing the reason why their father would pull them out of school. They had found the Professor in his lab, staring at something on a table. He sadly looked up at his daughters and addressed them.

"Girls, I have some bad news. The police found your sister's dress in the woods. I did some test on the blood and I'm afraid.." Bubbles couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Professor, no, that's impossible. This is Buttercup we're talking about. She's the toughest person in the world. She can't be.." Blossom protested, tears welling up in her rose colored eyes. Bubbles didn't say anything, she just began to cry.

"Blossom, Bubbles, I'm sorry, your sister, my daughter, she's gone." The Professor held his daughters and cried with them.

After that, day, no one was the same. Blossom had lost her faith in humanity, knowing the people of Townsville had turned on Buttercup, and faith in herself, regretting the hurtful words that she last spoke to her lost sister. The Professor had become more protective of his remaining daughters, he had forbidden them from fighting crime and after they had moved to Notte Falls, he took away their powers, "You two deserve a normal childhood," he told them. Bubbles had forsaken reality, she preferred the world of video games, trading card games, comics and when she got older, role playing games, to the world where her inaction led to her sister's demise. She had loved this world so much, she decided to share it with those who also needed an escape, and started her business in Citiesville.. But Bubbles, could not escape from one thing, her hatred of Townsville. They scorned her sister, they helped push her over the edge and drive her away, and they dared to accuse the Powerpuff Girls of abandoning them, when it was they who had abandoned the girls.

Bubbles got up from her desk, left her office, and called to her oafish employee. "Closing time, Ed."

"Aww." The large man groaned.

"Sooner we close up, sooner you can go home and go to bed, and then you can come again tomorrow."

"Yay, tomorrow good for Ed!"

Bubbles giggled at her sole employee. She went back into her office and began mentally prepping for her meeting with Bethany Luceid. 'Townsville is a dead city, and once I'm done speaking with Miss Luceid, it's going stay that way forever.'


	4. Thoughts and Memories

"Ed" is the property of Danny Antonucci and aka Cartoon (Thanks for the reminder Hairy Gregory)  
  
Chapter 4  
  
B.C. laid in the soft, comfortable hotel bed staring at the ceiling. She just had that dream again. It played like a movie, no deviation from earlier times save the new feelings of confusion, doubt and fear. 'We sat there in the fields, blowing bubbles while watching the buttercups bloom to full blossom, my sisters and I.'  
  
'That girl's name was Bubbles. Coincidence, I guess.'  
  
'Is it?'  
  
'What the hell does that mean?'  
  
'Why is it that Buttercup never appears in that dream?'  
  
'I don't know.'  
  
'Why do you even have that dream? You've never really heard about those girls until went to Townsville. Hell, you've never even seen them before, and you've been having that dream since you were six.'  
  
'So?'  
  
'SO? Shit, girl, think about it. What was your first memory?'  
  
'What does that have to do with anything?'  
  
'The hospital, right? Why nothing after that?'  
  
'I had an accident and lost my memory. What's the big deal?'  
  
'What kind of accident? Why didn't anyone tell you?'  
  
'I don't know. What's your damn point?"  
  
'Do they remember you before the hospital?'  
  
'WHAT?!'  
  
'You know what I mean. They never talked about before then, haven't they?'  
  
'So what, it's not like I've asked.'  
  
'Aren't you even curious?'  
  
'I've got better things to think about. I mean, I'm going to inherit the company when Dad retires. I don't have time to think about shit like that!'  
  
'Dad, huh? He didn't seem like dad when we woke up at that hospital.'  
  
'SCREW THIS SHIT!!!! JUST SHUT THE HELL UP!!!!' B.C. turned on the television in frustration, trying to silence that probing voice in her head. 'They were super heroes, right? Maybe they had psychic powers or something. I mean they did lose their sister. They might have just reached out to me or something. Maybe I did see them before, they might have been on the news and I just didn't remember.' It was too much for the young woman to bear. 'Why did Dad have to send me to that dump anyways? Hell, no one in their right mind would spend a penny on that place. Just full of psychos and kids trying to get the hell out.' B.C. sighed in frustration and concentrated on the television. She didn't want to think anymore.  
  
B.C. sat in the diner a few blocks away from Dragonfly Comics. She downed her fourth cup of coffee waiting for the time to meet with the owner. She felt like hell, not having much sleep the previous night. Being a rising corporate star earned her a few curious glances from the more business oriented clientele. She decided that her casual ware would be appropriate because this wasn't really an official business meeting and she sure as hell didn't feel like dressing up. "Check please" she told the waitress.  
  
"Here ya go, hon." The waitress handed her a paper with 12.95 scrawled on it. B.C. slipped a twenty in the bill and handed it back, telling the middle aged woman to keep the change. "Thanks sweetie." Was the reply. B.C. lifted herself off the seat and walked out the door and the rest of the way to the comic book store enjoying the cool autumn air as she walked down the street.  
  
After a brisk walk, B.C. arrived at Bubbles Utonium's comic book store. 'A bit early, but what the hay. Guess I'll find a nice comic for James, since I'm here. I owe him that, at least.' B.C. entered the store and looked around. A rather large man sat at the counter fully engrossed in some horror comic.  
  
"It is the Return of the Revenge of the Son of the Curse of Evil Tim, part three." He paused to tell her, then returned to his choice of literature. B.C. gave the man a strange look, and snickered to herself. 'Definitely one shy of a six pack.' She thought in amusement before browsing the wares.  
  
"Hi there." B.C. was greeted by a perky blonde wearing a dress shirt, slacks and a smile. "You must be Miss Luceid."  
  
"Uh.. Yeah, that's me." B.C. was a little embarrassed looking a little more dressed down than she should have been.  
  
"I'm Bubbles, it's a pleasure to meet you." The young woman said, offering her hand. B.C. took Bubbles hand and shook it. "Ed, I'm going to.. Oh for crying out loud.. ED!"  
  
"Yeah, boss?" Ed dropped his graphic novel at the sound of Bubbles's shriek.  
  
"I'm going to the back with Miss Luceid, I need you to pay attention to the store."  
  
"I will be like the eyes of an onion." Ed told her in a serious voice. Bubbles just shook her head and led B.C. to the back of the store and into a small office.  
  
"Interesting guy." B.C. commented.  
  
"Ed, he's a bit different, but he's a great help. Works all day and never complains. And he knows just about everything about the horror genre, not really my favorite kind."  
  
"Yeah, you strike me more of a war story type." B.C. answered wryly. Bubbles giggled at joke.  
  
"So, you wanted to talk about Townsville." Bubbles asked. B.C. could see something dangerous dancing in Bubbles's light blue eyes.  
  
"Well, yeah, you see I had done some research there, for the company, and I thought it would be a good idea to get your perspective on it, seeing how you used to be the super hero there."  
  
"They used us." Bubbles growled.  
  
"I'm sorry?"  
  
"They used us. We thought they loved us, but all they loved was us getting hurt for them. Fighting crime and monsters, it was all a big show for them. Just a fun show, for their enjoyment. We-we were too naïve to realize it. But Buttercup figured them out. She figured them out, but it was too late" Bubbles snarled.  
  
"Um, Bubbles."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Would you mind talking to me about Buttercup."  
  
"Huh?" Bubbles snapped out of her rage, "Buttercup? I don't mind, but why?"  
  
"Curiosity, I guess. I'd like to know more about her. "  
  
Bubbles looked pensively at her guest before answering, "Alright, come with me."  
  
Bubbles led B.C. to a door in the back of the storeroom. Bubbles opened the door to reveal a small modest apartment. B.C. followed her host inside and took a quick look around. Posters of anime characters decorated the bright, white walls. There was a small television situated in front of a dark green loveseat. Bubbles continued upstairs to a small hallway with the two doors. One door had another colorful Japanese poster, B.C. surmised that it led to the blonde's bedroom. Across from it was the second door, with crucifix hanging in the middle of it. Bubbles unlocked and opened that door revealing a makeshift shrine, dedicated to her late sister. Many pictures sat the shelving, pictures of Buttercup posing with her sisters and alone, playing, fighting criminals and monsters. At the center of the shrine was a small, stuffed green dragon with a fierce expression.  
  
"Is that a Fuzzy Friend? I thought they only made animals." B.C. asked  
  
"It was made special for her. She gave it to me as a gift." Bubbles answered in small voice. "I look in here.. when I need to remember the good times."  
  
"The good times?"  
  
"When she was still with us. She was always acted so tough and mean, but deep down she was a warm and caring person. Whenever I was bored and lonely, she'd be there to play with me. Whenever I was scared or hurt, she'd be there to protect me. Whenever I needed her, she'd be there. Until that day."  
  
"You mean.."  
  
"She had accidentally killed Mojo Jojo while trying to stop him from killing a crowd of people. I don't know why, but everyone turned against her, they thought she did it on purpose. She pretended that she didn't care, but I knew it had really hurt her. One day, I broke one of our father's inventions and let her take the blame for it. She got sent to our room and that was the last time I saw her. If I'd only.. She might be.." It was too much for Bubbles to go on, tears began to stream from her eyes, and the young woman began sobbing. B.C. had felt terrible bringing up such painful memories. She took the grief stricken woman into her arms and held her while she cried for her lost angel.  
  
Later in the afternoon, the women lounged on Bubble's small bed. They had traded stories of their lives. Bubbles talked about her family and growing up in Townsville and later, Notte Falls. B.C. told stories of her exploits in the planned community of Wolf Ridge and what it was like being the only daughter of Maxwell Luceid.  
  
"So where did you get the name, B.C.?" Bubbles asked her new friend.  
  
"My nanny, Kay. My full name is Bethany Christine Luceid, but she always called me B.C. I guess it kind of stuck."  
  
"Kay? What was she like?"  
  
"She was real great. The closest thing I had to a mother. She helped me out a lot with myself. Helped me out with my schoolwork, played with me, taught me about boys when I was old enough. Yeah, she was the best friend I ever had."  
  
"She sounds pretty cool." Bubbles thought for a second. "So what are you planning to do about Townsville?"  
  
"Oh yeah, that. Well, it's really not up to me, it's the board's decision to make." B.C. looked at Bubbles and smiled, "But between you and me, I think the government should spend the taxpayers' dollars on something more worthwhile, like a giant billboard that says no fat chicks." Bubbles looked back at B.C. and the two began to laugh at B.C.'s quip. The two lifted themselves of the bed and began to head back to the store section of the building.  
  
"I'd better check up on Ed, he's not the kind of guy you want to leave alone for too long." Bubbles giggled.  
  
"Yeah, he seems to be quite the character. I think one of our R&D guys may have known him."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah, some geek who always wears a hat, nice guy but a little on the anal retentive side. He always went on about his old friends, some wannabe con artist and a lovable oaf. Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure your Ed is that oaf."  
  
"Wow, small world. Say, if your free tonight, I know some fun places we can go tonight, have some drinks and check out guys."  
  
"Oh man. I wish I could, but I got to get back home. If I'm too late, Dad'll kill me." Bubbles seemed disappointed at B.C.'s decline. "But the next time I get some free time, I'll come down and take you up on that." That perked Bubbles back up. "Anyways, thanks for talking to me, I'm sure it couldn't have been easy for you."  
  
"Actually, I've been wanting to talk to someone about her. She was a really terrific sister and I want the world to know that." Bubbles wiped away a tear. "But I'm glad I met you. I look forward to the next time we meet again."  
  
"Me too, Bubbles." The two friends hugged each other and headed their separate ways. Bubbles went back into her office and B.C. headed towards the store exit, when something in the display case by the door caught her eye. 'SPORE #1, oh man, James has been looking for that one forever. Oh what the hell.' "I'd like that SPORE #1 please." B.C. told Ed.  
  
"That will be $600 plus tax, huh-huh." Ed told her while ringing up the amount. B.C. pulled out her personal checkbook and began to fill it out. "Any checks above the amount of $100 must be approved by the management." Ed recited the store's check policy.  
  
"It's okay, Ed." Bubbles called out from her office. Ed seemed satisfied by his employer's response and accepted B.C.'s check.  
  
"Table for two." Ed blurted out as he placed the mylar protected comic in a bag and handed it to B.C. "Thank you drive thru and please come again." Ed smiled at B.C.  
  
"Uhh, yeah, uhh, see ya later." B.C. responded as she walked out the door.  
  
After getting her things from the hotel, B.C. made her final preparations to return back to Wolf's Ridge. She dropped her sidearm off at delivery service and had it sent to her home, then she checked the company car in at a Luceid executive branch office. While making her rounds, B.C. thought about her meeting with Bubbles. 'Pretty nice kid, a bit too cute for a comic book storeowner, but she seems to have a good head on her shoulders. Funny, I just met her but it feels like I've known her all my life.'  
  
'..blowing bubbles..'  
  
'Strange, when she told me about her adventures as a super hero in Townsville, it all sounded familiar. Like I was being told my own memories.'  
  
'..watching the buttercups..'  
  
'She mentioned her sister, Blossom. I never met the woman, yet, when Bubbles described her, I knew who she was talking about, and what she was like.'  
  
'..blossom to full bloom..'  
  
'What does it all mean? Is it possible that.. It doesn't make any sense. Townsville is so far away from home, yet.. That mayor, Miss Bellum, she acted as if she knew who I was when I walked in. The motel owners, for some reason, there was something I didn't like about them. That cop, I just liked him before I really got to know him. And Bubbles..'  
  
'My sisters and I.'  
  
B.C. left the Luceid branch office and caught a taxi to the airport. She opened up her cell phone and dialed her father. "Daddy?"  
  
"What's wrong dear?"  
  
'No, I can't ask him. I know..' "Would it be alright if I visited with grandpa, before I come home?"  
  
"Of course, I'm sure he'll be happy to see you."  
  
'Strange, I thought I was on a time table.' "Are you sure? I know you and the board are waiting for my report."  
  
"It's alright, I want you take all the time you need."  
  
'What does that mean?' "Okay, thank you Daddy. I love you."  
  
"I love you too, Bethany"  
  
B.C. closed the cell phone back up and slipped into her pocket. 'Grandpa, he'll know something. He was the head of the company back then. He'll know something.'  
  
Later that evening, in a small apartment tucked away behind a comic book store, a young woman, a former super hero, sat on her bed stroking a green stuffed dragon, with the nametag proudly bearing the word Buttercup. She thought about the day she had received her most priceless treasure.  
  
Little Bubbles lied down on the Powerpuff Girls' bed crying as hard as she could. She had foolishly brought her beloved Octi to the previous monster fight. Unfortunately, this monster was of the fire breathing variety, and gave Bubbles and her toy octopus an up close and personal demonstration. Bubbles was singed but otherwise ok, but Octi didn't fare as well. The result was a very dead monster and on less stuffed toy in the world. Blossom had given up all hope trying to comfort her sister and sat in a corner, sadly watching her grieving sister. Buttercup flew in the room and into the closet, pulling a large bag from the shelving.  
  
"Bubbles?"  
  
"Go away, I hate you! I hate everything!"  
  
"Just listen, please?"  
  
"What!?"  
  
Buttercup gave her sister a sympathetic look. "Remember when I busted up that huge bootleg Fuzzy Friend operation?"  
  
"Well, DUH. You wouldn't shut up about it for a week."  
  
"Ha-ha, yeah. Well, the By corporation was so happy about it, they gave me a bunch of rare Fuzzy Friends as a reward. I was going to keep them and sell them someday, but I want you to have them." Buttercup emptied the bag's contents on the foot of the bed. Blossom got up from the corner and inspected Buttercup's gift.  
  
"Woah, Buttercup those things are worth a fortune." Blossom gasped. Bubbles released the pillow she was crying into and crawled to the small pile of toys.  
  
"Aww, thank you Buttercup, these are real nice but.. huh?" Bubbles caught sight of an unusual Fuzzy Friend, a green dragon. "I thought they only made animals."  
  
"Oh yeah, that one was made special for me. The inventor said I had saved her company millions of dollars in lost revenue or something so she made that one for me as a reward."  
  
"And I can keep her?"  
  
"Yeah sure, anyways like I was saying, the inventor said.." Buttercup was cut off by a blue streak crashing into her. Bubbles had her green-eyed sister in a bear hug.  
  
"OH, YOU'RE THE BESTEST SISTER IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD! YOU'VENEVERDONEANYTHINGTHISNICEANDILOVEYOUSOMUCH. I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU!!!!!" Bubbles released Buttercup and called out the door, "PROFESSOR!"  
  
The Professor came into the room, wondering what the commotion was about. "What is it?" he asked.  
  
"Look at what Buttercup gave me." Bubbles happily answered, thrusting the green dragon in his face.  
  
"That's nice dear. I'm glad you're feeling better." Professor Utonium turned his attention towards Buttercup, who was being helped up by Blossom. "That was very wonderful thing you did for your sister."  
  
Back in the present, Bubbles continued to stroke the dragon she had received so long ago. "Thanks to those toys you gave me, I had the money to start my business. I was so happy not because of the toys but because you gave me a part of yourself. This dragon always reminds me of you and how tough you were, but so caring and wonderful. I wish you were around today so you could see how well I'm doing. I even got meet the Bethany Luceid.." Bubbles stopped suddenly.  
  
'Bethany Luceid, the way she comforted me. Those green eyes of hers.. The way she talked.. The way I felt around her.. Could it be?' Bubbles grabbed her phone from the nightstand and quickly dialed the number of her family's home in Notte Falls.  
  
"Hello?" a male voice answered.  
  
"Hi Professor." Bubbles answered back.  
  
"Oh, hello Bubbles. How is everything?"  
  
"Oh great, everything's great. Um, could I speak with Blossom, please?"  
  
"Well she just went to bed, but I'll see if she's still awake."  
  
"Thank yoou, tee-hee" Bubbles hated doing that, but she knew her father loved it. A few seconds later a tired voice came on the line.  
  
"Yeah what is it?"  
  
"Um.. Blossom?"  
  
"Yes, Bubbles, what is it?"  
  
"Well, I met Bethany Luceid today. She came into my store and talked with me and.."  
  
"Urgh, Bubbles if you woke me up to tell me you met some famous, rich girl.."  
  
"Just listen, we were talking about Townsville and stuff.."  
  
"Get to the point!"  
  
"Sorry. Blossom if I didn't know any better, I could've sworn she was really Buttercup." 


	5. Revelations

Chapter 5  
  
Wolf's Ridge, capital of the Luceid business empire and home of the Luceid family and 30,000 of their employees. B.C. was sleeping at the air terminal when a thin man with light brown hair approached her. He took off his glasses, leaned over and kissed the sleeping maiden. B.C.'s eyes popped open and looked at the smiling man. "James?"  
  
"Good morning, Princess. Welcome back to thy kingdom."  
  
"Urrgh, how many times have I told you not too call me that. How'd you know I was here, anyways?" B.C. asked as she sat up on the terminal bench.  
  
"I put a tracking device in your laptop. It signaled me as soon as you got here. I wanted to see you as soon as you got home."  
  
"How cute. By the way, I have a little surprise for you. A little reward for your good work on finding me a Powerpuff Girl." B.C. opened her suitcase and produced the comic book she bought from Bubble's store.  
  
"No way! SPORE #1?! Oh man, how did you.. I mean.. Oh baby, you're the greatest gal, a guy could ever have."  
  
"Ha-ha, I'd knew you'd like it. Say, do you work today?"  
  
"No, I took the day off, so I could spend some time with you."  
  
"Well, I hope you're up for a drive because I'm going to visit Grandpa. He's at his cabin up in the mountains."  
  
"Your grandpa? B.C., what about your report and the board? You know your Dad isn't going to like this."  
  
"Actually, it was okay with him. He told me to take as much time as I needed."  
  
"Really? Hmm, that doesn't sound like him."  
  
"Yeah, I know." B.C. thought to herself, 'James is right. Dad normally expects me to stick to a timetable. I wonder..'  
  
"Is something wrong? You got real quiet all of a sudden." James said, interrupting B.C.'s train of thought.  
  
"Huh, oh it's nothing. We should go home and get some warmer clothes. It gets cold up in the mountains this time of year." B.C. grabbed her suitcases and got out of the seat. James led her to his truck, wondering what was on her mind. The situation seemed strange to him, he knew enough about Maxwell Luceid to know that the CEO and owner of Luceid Inc. expected his employees to follow through on their assignments with no deviations, especially his daughter. And why did B.C. want to find the Powerpuff Girls? She never had an interest in super heroes before, despite his best efforts. Why now? He just shrugged it off. 'I'm sure she'll tell me if something's up. She normally does. But something is a little strange. Hmm, well at least I'll get to be with her today.'  
  
James pulled into the Luceid estate, B.C. slipped out of his car and looked up at it. An old mansion originally built by Luceid Incorporated's founder, Nathaniel Luceid. "Funny how it used to look so big when I was a little girl." B.C. remarked, thoughtfully gazing up at the old building. "It was so much fun running up and down the hallways." James just gave B.C. a strange look, 'What's with her? Since when does she get nostalgic?'  
  
"Uh, yeah babe. "  
  
"This is where we first met. Remember?"  
  
"Oh yeah, at that party your dad had." He remembered, "You wore that green dress and had that flower in your hair."  
  
"Yeah, I hated it when Dad made me dress like that." B.C. laughed. "C'mon, let's go inside." The pair entered the mansion to find a middle- aged man wearing a tuxedo waiting for B.C.  
  
"Welcome back, Miss Luceid. It's good to see you again. Things have been quiet without you." the man said with a bow.  
  
"Heh-heh, good to see you too, Kirk." B.C. smiled back at Kirk.  
  
"I've taken the liberty of lying out some clothes suitable for your trip to the mountains, and your father has asked me to remind you that he expects your report upon your return from your Grandfather's cabin."  
  
"Thanks, Kirk." 'Dammit, I forgot about that.' "I'll be right back, James. I'm just gonna run upstairs and get changed."  
  
"I'll be right here." James sighed and watched the love of his life run up the curved stairway. B.C. walked into her room and noticed a sweater and a pair of spandex pants to fit under her jeans on her antique bed. B.C. got changed and took one another look at her room. A few posters of rock bands and speakers from her stereo decorated the walls, a simple nightstand next to her bed held a lamp and an alarm clock. B.C, flopped down on the bed. 'This bed seemed bigger when I was younger, almost lonely.' She continued to stare up at the ceiling, letting her thoughts wander when a knock on the door interrupted her daydreaming.  
  
"Sweetie? You almost done in there? I'm getting toasty in these warm clothes."  
  
"Oh! I'll be right out." B.C. cursed herself for letting herself get sidetracked. B.C. opened the door to let herself out, but then stopped. "Just one more thing." B.C. turned to the computer on her desk. She turned it on and connected her camera. After some work, one of the pictures taken at Townsville Cemetery was on the screen.  
  
"That's Buttercup from the Powerpuff Girls." James said.  
  
"Yeah, I know." B.C. said printing out a picture.  
  
"Why are you.." James almost asked but B.C.'s hand over his mouth prevented him form finishing his question.  
  
"I'll explain later. Let's just get to Grandpa's" B.C. grabbed her boyfriend and Buttercup's picture and rushed downstairs and to his truck. It would be a long drive and she wanted to get going.  
  
About an hour into the drive, B.C. fell asleep. She had that dream again but it was different this time. She was floating above the field of flowers, bubbles floated through her. The two girls who played with her were now playing with a black haired girl with green eyes. The third girl tackled the other two and tickeled them both into a fit of giggles. The green-eyed girl got up and looked straight at B.C.  
  
'What will you do when you learn the truth?'  
  
'What truth? What do you mean?'  
  
'Why did you comfort, Bubbles?'  
  
'I brought up some painful memories for her. It was the least I could do.'  
  
'So why did it feel so warm? Why did feel so right?'  
  
'I-I don't know.'  
  
'It felt as though you were comforting a sister, didn't it?'  
  
'How would I know? I never had a sister.'  
  
'You've helped others before. Comforted them, when your friend Laura's hamster died, you held her and let her cry in your arms. But it felt different, right? That warm feeling wasn't there, was it?'  
  
'...'  
  
'When you first came to the ruins of Townsville, it felt familiar, even though you've never been there.'  
  
'So? We studied it in our civics class.'  
  
'It felt like you were there before.'  
  
'It.. did..'  
  
'Do you remember your first thought when you woke up at the hospital, twenty years ago?'  
  
'I had fingers. I shouldn't have had them.' The scenery faded away along with the giggling girls leaving only Buttercup's specter.  
  
'You're on the right track, now it's time to wake up.'  
  
'Wait, who am I?'  
  
'..wake up, B.C..'  
  
"Wake up, B.C."  
  
"Huh..? What?"  
  
"You were talking in your sleep."  
  
"I was?"  
  
"Yeah, you asked 'who am I?'" James noticed that B.C had looked a little pale. "Is everything alright?"  
  
"Just talk to me James." B.C. murmured.  
  
"About what?"  
  
"Anything"  
  
"Okay, umm, what was Bubbles like?"  
  
"Bubbles?" 'Aww, James not her. Figures he'd ask about her.'  
  
"Yeah, I mean you did meet her, didn't you?"  
  
"Yeah I did. She was real nice. Friendliest person I've ever met." A smile crept on B.C.'s face "She was a real cutie too. She had a nice body and a pretty face. If I weren't dating you, I'd go out with her in a second." James nearly drove off the road when he heard that last remark.  
  
"W-What?!"  
  
B.C. laughed heartily at her boyfriend, "Ha-Ha, watch your driving dummy. I swear, you are too easy. Ha-ha-ha"  
  
James chuckled and shook his head, 'Now that's the B.C. I know and love. But still, something's bothering her. I hope she'll be okay.'  
  
A few hours later, the two had pulled into the driveway leading to the mountain cabin of Bryant Luceid, B.C.'s Grandfather. An elderly woman was outside watering some flowers, Kay's mother, Mary. The woman noticed the pair and went to greet them. "Bethany! How wonderful to see you."  
  
"Hi Mary." B.C. briefly embraced the old woman. "Is Grandpa around?"  
  
"Yes, he's inside, sitting around as usual."  
  
B.C. asked James to stay outside with Mary and went inside her grandfather's cabin. It was filled with old memorabilia from the 1970's. An old man sat in a recliner listening to some old music. The old man noticed B.C. and got up.  
  
"Hello Sprite." Bryant Luceid greeted his granddaughter. "It's good to see you again."  
  
"Hi Grandpa." B.C. hugged her grandfather.  
  
"So, what brings you up here?"  
  
B.C. pulled the picture she printed earlier out of pocket and unfolded it. "This, it's a picture I took in Townsville." B.C. answered showing Bryant the picture.  
  
"Hmm, tell me a story about her."  
  
"A story?"  
  
"You remember the game we used to play, Sprite. Tell me a story about her."  
  
B.C. sighed and started, "Once upon a time, there was a girl with super powers. She and her sisters protected a large city because they thought the people in the city loved them. One day, the girl was forced to do something terrible in order to save the lives of some townspeople and the whole town had turned against her. A few days later she got into a fight with her family and ran away into the woods where.. she.." B.C. found it hard to continue.  
  
"It doesn't sound like she has a happy ending. Now you know I like happy endings, Sprite."  
  
"Well.." B.C. trailed off softly.  
  
"Let me come up with one. The girl was found by some good people who gave her a new life and she grew up to become a beautiful and intelligent young woman destined for great things."  
  
"That girl. She's me, isn't she?"  
  
Bryant turned to an old desk and pulled out a photo. It was photograph of a young boy, shot in the early 1960's. "Let me tell you a story about this boy. Once upon a time there was a young boy who lived a simple life in a small town. His father was a great athlete who loved to tell stories of a great college he went to and played football. The boy was taught to revere the college as a place of great honor. That little boy had an older brother who was also great athlete but he was also lazy and hated to do schoolwork. The brother had cheated on his college entrance exam. The boy found out and told the College Board. He did not want his dishonest brother dishonoring that great college. The boy's family was furious with him. Saddened and alone the boy ran from his home and went to the city bridge, that where he met them."  
  
"Them?"  
  
"A young woman who worked for the College Board offered the boy a ride, and gave him a new life."  
  
"That boy. Was he you?"  
  
"Yes, Sprite, that little boy grew up to be Bryant Luceid."  
  
"But what happened to his, I mean your family?"  
  
Bryant sighed sadly, "My family thought I had killed myself. My brother was so overwhelmed with grief and guilt he.. took his own life."  
  
"Oh my god. How did you know all of this?"  
  
"Mother sent me to my old hometown, to see about building a factory there. The mayor was an old family friend. He told me about them, about what had happened. I was young and curious, so I investigated. That's when I learned who I truly was."  
  
"But why? Why did they take you.. us?  
  
"Luceid's child"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Your father will explain it to you. As I explained it to him. As my mother had explained it to me."  
  
"I-I see. Thank you grandpa." B.C. was shocked. 'Was this why Dad sent me to Townsville? So I would find out. Oh crap, my report.' "Grandpa would it be alright if stay here for a little bit? I need to work on my report."  
  
"Of course, Sprite. Take as much time as you need."  
  
A couple hours had past when B.C. typed the final few words in her report. 'Finally done.' B.C. was glad that she still had to do it. I took her mind off the recent revelations. James had stepped out from inside to cabin to the back porch where B.C. had typed up her report. "You almost done out here babe."  
  
"Just finished." B.C. got up and folded up her laptop. 'James, how is he gonna take this? How am I gonna tell him?'  
  
"Is something wrong." James was concerned. Something was definitely on her mind.  
  
"I'm.. fine."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yeah, just some family matters. I'll talk about it later, I promise. Just take me home please."  
  
"O.K." James walked B.C. to his truck and let her in. 'What's wrong with her. Family matters? Well, she promised to tell me. I guess I'll have to be patient. I just hope everything is gonna be alright.' 


	6. Blossom's Investigation

Chapter 6  
  
It was another beautiful, peaceful, boring day for Blossom Utonium, Private Investigator. It had been weeks since her last case 'Maybe, I'm getting too good at this.' She thought as she got ready for bed. It was an easy career choice for the ex-super hero. The events leading to Buttercup's death had opened her eyes to darker side of humanity. Ever since that day, Blossom had dedicated herself to exposing that dark side for the world to see. Thanks to her keen intellect and inquisitive nature, she had gotten exceptionally good at it. From exposing cheaters and liars as a child to revealing closet criminals, insurance frauds and adulterers in the present, Blossom was known as the best. But even the best P.I. in the tri-state area had her slow periods, this had simply been one of those times. Blossom loathed these slow periods. She constantly needed to hunt down those who did wrong, a need fueled by her desire for revenge and penance. She blamed herself, as well as the people of Townsville, for Buttercup's death. 'If I'd only kept my big mouth shut, Buttercup wouldn't have ran off and she'd still be alive.'  
  
Blossom tucked herself in and went to sleep. A few minutes later, the Professor woke her up. "Blossom, are you awake?"  
  
"Huh..? What is it Professor?" Blossom mumbled, not too happy about being woken up so quickly.  
  
"Your sister is on the phone." He told her. Blossom groaned and picked up her phone. The conversation seemed pointless, Bubbles just got a little over excited about meeting Bethany Luceid, the heiress to the Luceid business empire. Tired and cranky, Blossom asked Bubbles to get to the point, vowing if meeting Miss Luceid was the only reason for waking her up, she was going to Citiesville personally and beat the crap out of her sister.  
  
"Blossom, if I didn't know any better, I could've sworn she was really Buttercup."  
  
That woke Blossom up, "W-What? Bubbles, what are you talking about?"  
  
"I know it sounds crazy, but, for some reason.. She just.. I don't know.."  
  
"Alright, calm down Bubbles. I know you still miss Buttercup, I mean I do too, but we've been through this before. We all feel guilty about what happened, but remember what our therapist said?"  
  
"I remember, but it's different this time. She was just like Buttercup."  
  
Blossom yawned and shook her head, "Look, Bubbles, it's late and I'm tired. I promise I'll talk to you about this tomorrow, but we both need to get some sleep."  
  
Bubbles sighed, "Okay, good night."  
  
"Good night, Bubbles." Blossom hung up and lied back down in her bed. But sleep didn't come as easy as it should have. 'What if she's right? No, that's crazy. But, on the other hand, they never did find Buttercup's body. The police said an animal must have dragged it away, but then again, Townsville didn't exactly have the world's most professional police department. Of course, the Professor said that judging the amount of blood on her dress.. Maybe if I saw a picture of her.. I might as well take a look.' Blossom got up and turned on her computer. After the usual boot up sequence, Blossom got on-line and did a search for 'Bethany Luceid.' The first hit was the official Luceid Corporation Biography of Bethany C. Luceid. 'I guess this one will do.' Blossom clicked the link. A photo of the young woman as well as her background and a list of statistics and accomplishments appeared on the screen. 'Well, I guess I can see why Bubbles thought she was Buttercup. They do have the same color of eyes and hair, but.. Wait a second.' Blossom noticed something unusual. 'Date of Adoption..? That was the day Buttercup ran away. Hmm, could it be a coincidence?' Blossom yawned as fatigue began to hit her. 'I'll look into this tomorrow. I need to sleep.' Blossom shut down the computer and went to bed. Sleep wouldn't come easy though. Blossom didn't like coincidences.  
  
The next morning, Blossom shuffled to the kitchen, tired from the restless night she had. The smell of coffee, eggs, bacon and pancakes had wafted in the air. The Professor was happily preparing breakfast for himself and his daughter.  
  
"Good morning, Blossom."  
  
"Mornin' Professor." Blossom mumbled pouring herself a cup of coffee.  
  
"You look tired. Didn't you sleep well last night?"  
  
"Just had some things on my mind. Nothing big."  
  
"I see. By the way, what did Bubbles want last night."  
  
"Oh, that? Well, she just called to tell me that Bethany Luceid visited her store yesterday."  
  
"Oh really? The Bethany Luceid?"  
  
"Uh-huh." Blossom responded, pouring syrup on the pancakes the Professor prepared for her.  
  
"How exciting. Did she say why?"  
  
"I think to talk to her about Townsville."  
  
"Townsville?"  
  
"Well, I've heard that the government was taking bids for reconstruction. Maybe Miss Luceid wanted to get Bubbles's point of view."  
  
"Hmm, did she say what Miss Luceid was going to do?"  
  
"No. Knowing Bubbles, though, I doubt the Luceid Corporation is going be making any bids on that project." Blossom knew that Bubbles hated Townsville with a passion. They all did. "Anyways, according to Robin, everyone is moving out. Even Mitch is getting transferred to another city. I doubt anyone is going to fix it up."  
  
"You're probably right. Any plans for today?" the Professor added before taking a drink out of his coffee mug.  
  
"Not really." 'I'm just gonna look into this Luceid company some more. Doubt I'll find anything, but it couldn't hurt.' Blossom finished her breakfast and got up from the table, "If you need me, I'll be in my room." Blossom kissed the Professor on the cheek and went back into her room. She turned on her computer and resumed her research on Bethany Luceid. 'Let's see. Accomplishments: Biology Club, 2nd place in a High School Creative Writing competition, Girls Basketball MVP, very nice, although a bit unusual for someone going into the business field. That's interesting, they adopted her on her sixth birthday. Nothing else really interesting.' Blossom decided to look at some other profiles of the Luceid family. 'Maxwell Luceid, hmm, he was adopted too. On his birthday too. Very strange. I wonder..' Blossom viewed the profiles of the previous CEO's, they were all Luceids, all adopted on their birthday. Blossom was intrigued, 'Hmm, this can't be a coincidence. Think I'll look into this a little bit more.' Blossom ran a specialized search program designed to search state records and newspaper articles. She entered the dates of adoption and searched for deaths of children who had been the age each Luceid was upon their adoption, with no body recovered. Hits came up, at least one for each date. Blossom checked each link. 8-year-old Mob Informant vanishes; Mafia Suspected, Town Saddened by 9-year-old's Suicide, Girl Who Discovered Nazi Spy Ring Vanishes each article corresponding to the date of adoption for each Luceid. Blossom noticed that the photos of the missing children look eerily similar to the photos of the Luceids. 'They were all.. Oh my God.' Blossom looked up more information on the Luceid Company. Blood Replicating Unit: Introduced in 2008 by the Luceid Medical Division. Patented 2003 'Buttercup's dress, that was back in.. No, they couldn't have.' Blossom searched more and found an academic paper on Nathaniel Luceid, the founder of the Luceid Company.  
  
"It is a common belief amongst my distinguished peers that quality and virtue are inherited genetically. 'Proper breeding produces the proper child.' Understandable but foolish. I believe that there are children out there with an intrinsic and instinctive comprehension of honor, virtue, nobility and good sense and the ability to make good decisions, regardless of their background. It is the duty of all great men to seek out these children and raise them to be the leaders of the next generation. –Nathaniel Luceid, 1838 'That theory, if the Luceid family had been putting into practice. Oh God.' Blossom got up from her desk and ran out into the living room. She found the Professor sitting in his recliner happily reading the newspaper.  
  
"Professor, I need to look through Buttercup's things." Blossom told him trying to keep cool.  
  
"W-what? Blossom why on earth do you need to look through your sister's things." Professor Utonium regarded his late daughter's items as sacred relics. He was very reluctant to let Blossom to go rooting around in them.  
  
"Please, it's very important." Blossom's eyes danced with a desperation the Professor had never seen before.  
  
"Alright." The Professor sighed in defeat. He reluctantly led Blossom downstairs into his lab. Blossom followed her father through the lab to a door marked storage. The Professor unlocked the door and pulled out several boxes marked Buttercup. Blossom opened the first box and carefully went through the things inside. After removing some of Buttercup's old toys, Blossom had found what she was searching for, a lime green notebook covered with death threats to all who would dare open it. Blossom pulled out the notebook and began to read what was inside.  
  
"Blossom, wait! You can't read that! That's Buttercup's journal."  
  
"Professor, I need to. There may be some clues about what really happened to Buttercup."  
  
"What!? Blossom, what earth are you talking about. You know what happened to Buttercup."  
  
"Just be quiet." Blossom hissed at him. She hated disobeying her father, but this was too important. The Professor gave in and let Blossom read the journal. Blossom skimmed through the pages until she found an entry of interest  
  
'3-18 Saved some woman from the Gangrene Gang. Said her name was Miss Kay and she was Sunday School teacher. Man, who wants to go to school on a Sunday? Anyways, she said if I ever need to talk to anyone about anything she'd be happy to listen. That's pretty cool, usually I just get a thank you and they walk off. It would be nice to have someone to talk to, other than Queen Red and the Whiner that is.'  
  
'Queen Red?' Blossom continued to read.  
  
'3-21 Talked to Miss Kay today. She's real smart, but she doesn't treat me like an idiot like Queen Red does. She's real nice too. She does ask a lot questions, though. Mostly about Townsville and the people here. I guess she must be new here.'  
  
'3-25 Mojo again. Another giant robot this time. Miss Kay said she was surprised that they keep letting him out of jail. She said if he did that from where she was from, he'd either be dead or in prison for the rest of his life. Hmmm.'  
  
'4-10 Pretty cool day today. I just busted up some phony Fuzzy Friends ring. All by myself, too. Queen Red pretended she was proud of me, but I could tell she was jealous. HA HA. The Whiner got mad, telling me to shut up. She and Queen Red were too busy fighting over the stupid things and now she mad because I wasn't too distracted to figure out their collections were fake. HA HA HA The company that makes them gave me a bag of Fuzzy Friends as a reward, they even made one a special one for me. How come the people of Townsville never give us anything for saving the day?'  
  
'4-10 Checked Blossom's Fuzzy Friend guide. Man these things are valuable, think I'll hold on to them.'  
  
'4-13 Got a 'B' on my test today. Miss Kay's been helping me study, so my grades have been getting better. Queen Red went ballistic, said I was cheating. Typical, dumb ol' Buttercup isn't allowed to get anything higher than D. Stupid obscured by ink blot crude drawing of Blossom with a crown shouting 'BLAH BLAH BLAH..  
  
'So that's why her grades had improved. Oh Buttercup, I'm sorry.'  
  
'4-15 Strange, I had the feeling we were being watched today when we were fighting that monster. Queen Red said it was just my imagination. Maybe she's right, but still. Oh forget it.'  
  
'4-23 Poor Bubbles, that dumb octopus of her got torched by that monster. Man was she ticked. Did things that even I haven't thought of. I feel bad for her though. She's been in bed crying for hours. Think, I'll give her the Fuzzy Friends.  
  
'4-23 Boy, was Bubbles happy when I gave her those stupid Fuzzy Friends. She really liked the special one. Nearly broke my ribs when she hugged me. That's ok though. I'm just glad I could cheer her up. Heh, she named the dragon 'little Buttercup'. Figures she'd do that.'  
  
Blossom smiled at the memory of Buttercup's generosity.  
  
'4-27 Mojo again, God I'm getting sick of that guy. Had that feeling we were being watched again when we were fighting him. Weird.'  
  
'5-1 MOJO AGAIN? We just put him in jail. Why do they keep letting him out. Thank God, I have Miss Kay to talk to. I'm tired of people making excuses for these idiots. I feel like I'm protecting a city of two-year- olds.'  
  
'5-7 Fuzzy, this time. Robbed a convenience store again. Freaked out when he saw me. Guess he still remembers what I did to him the last time we met. At least I won't have any doctors calling me a bad guy again. Lousy ingrates.'  
  
'5-8 I've been get that feeling again. This time at school. Maybe, I should tell Miss Kay about it. She's the only one in town who doesn't think I'm a moron or is one (heh-heh).'  
  
'5-9 Mojo, it had to be Mojo. Damn monkey or chimp or whatever. He's been getting pretty desperate lately. Also been having that feeling more often. Miss Kay told me not to worry about it, but still.'  
  
'5-13 I killed him. I didn't mean to. But I killed him. I knew shooting that laser was dangerous but if I hadn't he would have killed all those people. Miss Kay told me I did the right thing but still. Oh man, everyone is gonna hate me. Professor was cool about it but Blossom and Bubbles. I can see it in their eyes. Oh God what have I done.' Some discolored spots on the page; most likely teardrops  
  
'5-15 Bunch of jerks, I save their lives and they treat me like crap. First they turn against us when that Fluffy Bunch Gang or whatever comes to town and now this. Well I've had it with these creeps. Screw them and screw Townsville. From now on, I'm just looking out my sisters, my real friends and the Professor. The rest of them can go to Hell. I'm gonna go talk to Miss Kay.'  
  
'5-15 Man, Miss Kay is so cool. She told me I was doing the right thing by giving up this "super hero saving the day" crap. She also invited me to have a picnic in the woods tomorrow and gave me this cool necklace. It's a wolf's head, check it out.' A rubbing of a wolf's head; it bears a resemblance to the Luceid corporate logo as it was in the 2000's 'I can hear some electrical buzzing from it. I wonder what that is.'  
  
'5-16 I just finished my speech. Man, I can't wait to see their faces when I tell them. Ha Ha. Stupid jerks. Let's see how you like it when Buttercup isn't there to save your butts next time. HA HA HA HA HA!!!'  
  
'5-16 Got blamed for breaking the Professor's latest nerd device. Big shock there. I know it was Bubbles. She'll crack sooner or later, I know her too well. Stupid Blossom. I can't believe she thinks I killed Mojo on purpose. Lousy, snotty, bossy.. Oh well, Queen Red will get hers later. I guess I'll go and meet Miss Kay in the woods. No one will miss me, they usually stay away from me when I get in trouble, and I won't be too long. They probably won't even know I was gone.' Final Entry  
  
"Oh my god." Blossom dropped the notebook in shock.  
  
"Blossom, what is it?"  
  
"Professor, are you the only person with access to Chemical X?"  
  
"Well it is a highly restricted agent but I do believe other scientist are licensed to us it. Why do you ask?"  
  
"Do you know if any scientists working for the Luceid Corporation were allowed to use it?"  
  
"I believe so. In fact, I did collaborate with some scientists who went to work for the Luceid Corporation during the initial development of Chemical X. But what is this all about?"  
  
"Luceid's Child Theory."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Professor, each CEO of the Luceid Corporation was not only a single child but they were adopted. The date of their adoption corresponds with the death or disappearance of a similar child. Each one of those children had been in someway considered a hero and held to ideals that are associated with the Luceid Corporation. In 1982, a boy who had been a mob informant was killed under suspicious circumstances but his body was never recovered. In 1960, another boy who had had exposed his brother as a cheater and stopped his admission into a prestigious college, supposedly committed suicide but his body wasn't found either. It goes on like this."  
  
"I don't understand."  
  
"In 2008, the Luceid Corporation introduced a device capable of synthesizing blood, but it was patented five years earlier. If they had that device and some chemical X, they could have easily created enough of Buttercup's blood to make it look like she was murdered."  
  
"Blossom this is ridiculous, you can't possibly believe that a major corporation would.."  
  
"Look at Buttercup's journal." Blossom interrupted picking up the notebook and opening it to the pages where Buttercup's final entries were written. "She had been speaking with some woman she called 'Miss Kay.' Buttercup knew there was a risk in trying take out Mojo Jojo's laser, we all did that's why me and Bubbles didn't, but Buttercup took that risk. She also knew if that she had caused the death of Mojo Jojo, accidentally or not, the people would turn against her. Self-sacrifice for the good of people, a highly touted Luceid ideal. Also, Buttercup was planning on quitting because she felt unappreciated. Help those who are willing to repay, help those who appreciate it, more Luceid corporate philosophy. And look at this. Buttercup made a pencil rubbing of a pendant given to her by this 'Miss Kay' person. It's clearly the Luceid Corporate Logo from when she disappeared. She also wrote that she heard an electrical noise coming from the pendant, I think there might have been a tracking device in it. Also, if you look at her last entry, it's clear that Buttercup had snuck out to meet with 'Miss Kay.' She didn't run away as we had originally thought."  
  
"Oh dear God." The Professor had turned pale at Blossom's revelation.  
  
"I think this 'Miss Kay' lured Buttercup out into woods and somehow kidnapped her and faked her death."  
  
"But why would anyone do that?"  
  
"Luceid's Child Theory, a sort of spiritual social Darwinism. Nathaniel Luceid believed that there were children who instinctively possessed ideal personality traits and that these children should be sought out and raised in a proper setting so they can rise to leadership positions. Buttercup seemed to display traits that would have caught the eye of the Luceid Corporation. This 'Miss Kay' was obviously one of their lackeys sent in to find the next Luceid child."  
  
"My baby.. Those bastards stole my baby." The Professor's face grew red in rage.  
  
"Calm down, Professor. We need to get together with Bubbles and plan our next move. You book us flight to Citiesville. I'll call Bubbles and tell her we're coming." Blossom was spending every ounce of energy trying to keep a level head. She took out her cell phone and called Bubbles's comic book store.  
  
"Dragonfly Comics, this is Ed."  
  
'Oh great, I got her trained ape' "Ed, I need to speak to Bubbles right away."  
  
"Who is there?"  
  
"Ed, it's Blossom. May I please speak with Bubbles." Blossom spoke through clenched teeth, her patience wearing dangerously thin.  
  
"Bubbles cannot talk as she is expecting a call from her sister."  
  
'Okay, that's it!' "Ed if you don't let me talk to Bubbles right this second, I'm going to tell Sarah." Blossom promised Bubbles she wouldn't threaten Ed like that but he had forced her into taking that drastic action.  
  
"Oh no! Don't tell Sarah! Sarah bad for Ed!" Ed's loud voice faded away into jibbering as he, or Blossom had assumed, went to go get Bubbles.  
  
"Dammit Blossom, I've told you not scare Ed like that! Ed, get out of the crawl space! Geeze, It'll take me forever to get him out of there!" Bubbles answered angrily.  
  
"Look, I'm sorry but this is really important."  
  
"WHAT! What's important!"  
  
"You were right. Bethany Luceid is Buttercup. I looked up her biography page and noticed that the date of her adoption was the same day Buttercup vanished. So I looked into it further and I found out more things that look wierdandthenIstartedinvestigating.."  
  
"Blossom, slow down."  
  
"..intoitmoreandInoticedmoreandmoreweirdthingsandthenIreadherjournal.."  
  
"Blossom, I can't understand what your saying."  
  
"..andfoundcluesthatindicatedsomereallystrangestuffwasgoindonandIfiguredthat .."  
  
"BLOSSOM YOU'RE TALKING TOO FAST!!!!"  
  
"Oh sorry, got a little excited." Blossom was thankful that picture phones weren't involved or else Bubbles would have been treated to a very red face.  
  
"Look, Blossom I'm really busy and I.. Did you just say that what I think you said."  
  
"Yes, Bubbles. Look me and the Professor are flying to Citiesville. We'll call you when we arrive, okay. We need to get together think about our next move."  
  
"Okay. I'll see you when you get here." Bubbles hung up want to coax Ed out of the crawl space. Blossom hung up her phone and went back upstairs. The professor was currently booking a flight to Citiesville. Blossom sat down in a chair and thought about what she had discovered.  
  
'Buttercup. She's still alive. All these years, I thought..' Blossom's face twisted with rage, "They took her. Twenty years of thinking I drove her to her death and all along they had her. The Luceid Corporation is going to pay for this." 


	7. I am a Luceid

Chapter 7  
  
Maxwell Luceid was sitting at his desk filling out some paperwork when the phone call came.  
  
"Hello, Max." It was his father, Bryant.  
  
"Father?"  
  
"She knows, Max."  
  
"Did you tell her?"  
  
"She figured it out on her own."  
  
"How did she take it."  
  
"I'm not too sure. It's always been hard to tell what she's thinking."  
  
"Heh, That's true."  
  
"Anyways, she's on her way home. I believe she'll be expecting more of an explanation."  
  
"I see.. Thank you Father."  
  
Maxwell hung up and made another call, "Hello Kay, it's time.. Have everything ready by tomorrow."  
  
Maxwell hung up again and sat back in his chair, 'Kay was right about her. No surprise there, they've always been right about us.'  
  
B.C. stared out at the city of Wolf's Ridge from James's truck window. 'For twenty years I've called this place my home and never questioned it. Noiseland Arcade, for years I'd go there and blow my allowance on video games and never thought twice about it. There's the Burger Kong where I'd have lunch with my friends, talking about what boys we thought were cute and what we wanted out of life. There's the comic book store James would drag me off to and spend hours listening to him go on about what heroes he liked and why. My whole life, I never questioned it.'  
  
"What's on your mind, babe?"  
  
"Nothing really. Just thinking that's all."  
  
"Are you sure you're alright. I've never seen you this quiet before."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
James shook his head and continued to drive B.C. home. He drove up the long driveway to the spectacular Luceid estate. B.C. turned towards her boyfriend and smiled, "Been a long day, huh?"  
  
"Yeah, it's getting late."  
  
"You wanna watch the sunset with me? It's really spectacular from out back."  
  
"Sure, I'd love to." James answered enthusiastically.  
  
The pair went to the backyard balcony. The sunset was gorgeous. The sky was brilliant shade of orange, the sun was cherry red and the clouds were a deep shade of purple. James and B.C. enjoyed the view while sitting on a patio couch.  
  
"It's so beautiful." B.C. said softly.  
  
"Just like you." James replied.  
  
B.C. said nothing. She just turned her head and kissed James deeply. When they were done kissing, B.C. smiled and watched the sun sink beneath the horizon. "James, I'm going through a lot of things right now. When I get everything sorted out, I'll tell you everything. In the mean time, I just need you to be there for me."  
  
"I'll be here for you. You can count on me." James answered. "When ever you need me, I'll be there."  
  
"Thank you." B.C. smiled and hugged her boyfriend. 'James, you've been so good to me. I don't know what's going to happen but no matter what I know I'll always love you.' B.C. and James walked back to the truck. B.C. got her laptop from the cab and suitcase from the back.  
  
"You need any help with those?" James asked.  
  
"Nah, I'm good. I'll see you later."  
  
"Okay. Let me know if you ever need anything." With that, James drove off leaving B.C. by herself. She carried her belongings inside.  
  
"Miss Luceid, do you need any assistance carrying your items?" Kirk asked her.  
  
"No, that's okay, Kirk. By the way, did say when he was coming home? It's getting late."  
  
"Ah yes, Mr. Luceid informed me that he had some important work to do and would be coming home late."  
  
"Okay, thanks Kirk." 'God dammit, why is it that whenever I need him, he's never around.' B.C carried her belongings upstairs and into her room. B.C. tossed her suitcase aside and put her laptop back onto her desk. She then changed into some nightclothes and threw herself into the bed.  
  
'Now that you know the truth, what are you going to do?'  
  
'Good question. What am I going to do?'  
  
(Eleven years earlier)  
  
B.C. was happily enjoying some loud music when a knock on the door interrupted her euphoria. B.C. paused the CD she was listening to. "Yeah, what is it."  
  
"Beth, may I speak with you?" Maxwell asked from outside.  
  
"I guess." B.C. answered grudgingly.  
  
Maxwell entered B.C.'s room and addressed his daughter, "Beth, your finance teacher called me today, she was concerned about your performance in class. Is there anything wrong?"  
  
"No." B.C. snorted.  
  
"You know, if you're going to run the company, it's important that you learn about finance and business."  
  
"I don't want to run the company." B.C. mumbled.  
  
"What was that, dear?"  
  
"I don't want to run the stupid company!" B.C. yelled, tears forming in her eyes.  
  
Maxwell just smiled, "Oh? What would you like to do?"  
  
"I wanna be a scientist."  
  
"Really? What kind of scientist?"  
  
"I dunno, something to do with animals. Like a biologist."  
  
"Well, that would be something. My daughter, the world famous biologist." Maxwell chuckled.  
  
"Wait. You're not mad?" B.C. looked up at her father in surprise.  
  
"Of course not. When I was your age, I didn't want to run the company either." Maxwell smiled while rubbing her back reassuringly.  
  
"Really? What did you want to be?"  
  
"I wanted to be an FBI agent."  
  
"Really? So why didn't you become an FBI agent? I mean, I bet you would've been great at it. You've always caught me whenever I did anything bad, no matter how hard I tried to cover it up."  
  
"Ha ha, that's true. Well why don't you come with me on a little trip tomorrow and maybe you figure out why I didn't."  
  
"But I've got school tomorrow."  
  
"That's alright. Just ask one of your friends to bring any notes and homework you'll miss. I'll call the school tomorrow and let them know you'll be with me."  
  
"Okay." B.C. smiled.  
  
Early next morning, the two Luceids were aboard the corporate jet. B.C. couldn't help but be a little excited. She had never been farther away from Wolf's Ridge than her grandfather's cabin. Her father didn't believe in taking extravagant or distant vacations, a policy that had ran in the family for generations. "Where are we going?" B.C. asked her father.  
  
"We're going to visit a few places." Maxwell told his daughter.  
  
"What places?"  
  
"You'll see." Maxwell answered giving her a fatherly squeeze around the shoulders. The jet took off giving B.C. a bird's eye view of Wolf's Ridge. B.C. was amazed how small everything looked from above. She stared out the window watching cities, towns, forests, mountains, plains and other assorted scenery pass underneath. The plane began to descend towards an airfield situated in the industrial heartland of America. B.C. stared fascinated by the almost alien landscape. It was radically different then the modern shopping complexes and office buildings that made up her own town of Wolf's Ridge. Factories belched out smoke from smokestacks coloring the sky. Old buildings stood proudly as if to defy the progress of the twenty-first century. Maxwell ushered his bewildered daughter to an awaiting car. The CEO drove his daughter to one of the factories. A sign above the entrance indicated it was a Luceid owned factory. B.C. followed her father inside, wondering why he had brought her here.  
  
Maxwell and B.C. stood over a fully function assembly plant atop a catwalk usually reserved for supervisors. Below them were hundreds of workers. Some were testing products, others were sorting out circuit boards and others were doing tasks that B.C. couldn't quite recognize. Maxwell pointed at a man looking at gauges and writing on a notepad. "That gentleman is Richard Baxton, from product quality control. He has a daughter about your age who wants to be a ballerina. He's been saving his extra money so she can go to dance school after she graduates." Maxwell then directed his daughter's attention towards a young man working on the assembly line. "That's Patrick Johnson. He started working here about a year ago after his wife had their first son." His next subject was a tired looking young woman inspecting a machine, "Lynn Carr, she's been raising her two daughters by herself after her husband was killed during the Super Power Conflict."  
  
"Wow. How did you know about them?"  
  
"Well, I like to get know my employees a little. I've always been curious about other people. Why don't you and I meet a few more." Maxwell and B.C. went to a meeting room where a few employees waited for them. B.C. listened quietly while they told their hopes and dreams. When it was all over, father and daughter went back to the airport. On the way there, Maxwell asked his daughter, "Why do you think I kept this plant open when it would have been more profitable to close it after setting up new plants in Asia?"  
  
B.C. didn't even pause to think, "Because they appreciate it being open. They want to work and do a good job so they can feed their families, realize their dreams and live their lives."  
  
"Very good." Maxwell complimented his daughter's answer. "Spoken like a true Luceid."  
  
The next place the pair visited was a small town decimated by a flood. Construction crews worked diligently to repair damaged buildings and rebuild destroyed homes. B.C. gazed at the scene in shock and amazement. She had seen the flood on the news but she never thought she'd ever see the aftermath in person. An elderly gentleman approached the two and shook hands with Maxwell. "Mr. Luceid, it's good to see you. I'd like to thank you for all you've done for us."  
  
"I'm glad I could help out, Mayor Armstrong. I'd like you to meet my daughter, Beth."  
  
"It's good to meet you, Beth" Mayor Armstrong said while shaking her hand. B.C. just smiled and nodded, wondering why she had been brought here.  
  
Maxwell grabbed two safety helmets from a nearby table and put one on his head and handed the other to B.C., "There's a lot of work to be done, so why don't we lend a hand."  
  
"Okay." B.C. answered putting on the helmet. B.C. toiled for hours, cleaning mud and debris from stores. The other workers marveled at the young woman. She was a contradiction to the image of the daughters of privilege. She was no spoiled, whiny, soft brat but a lean, hard worker who pitched in as much as the other young men and women from the small town who volunteered to rebuild the ruined town. She was talkative and friendly, laughing at the coarse jokes of a few teenage boys and telling some of her own. B.C. enjoyed the work, it gave her a good workout and a chance to meet some new people. At the end of the day, B.C. and Maxwell rested by their car, both were exhausted from the hard days work.  
  
"How are you holding out, Beth." Maxwell asked.  
  
"I'm a little wore out, but I'm still okay." She answered.  
  
"You looked like you enjoyed yourself."  
  
"I did, I got to meet some new friends and that was more exercise than I could have gotten at the gym."  
  
"Ha Ha. Well, I'm glad you have a good attitude about this. Do you know why we came here? Why I donated equipment, money and our time to rebuilding this small town instead of a larger city?"  
  
"Because they'll remember Luceid better."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"People in small towns will remember better. Other companies were focusing on the larger cities because there's more people there but we were the only ones helping the people here. When they get back on their feet and ready to buy a computer or a printer or any of the other stuff we sell, they're going to remember the Luceid name."  
  
"Impressive. You truly are a Luceid." Maxwell tousled his daughter's hair lovingly and continued. "You know, there were a few people on the board who opposed the company using its resources to rebuild this little town and they wanted to shut down plants like the one we visited earlier today. Beth, this company has been on the top because it's been run by a Luceid. I'm not going to force you to take over when I retire, but I want you to remember everything you've seen today and ask yourself if can trust anyone to run the company the way we do?"  
  
"I understand Dad."  
  
"Good, let's go home."  
  
"Dad?"  
  
"Yes dear?"  
  
"I'll start working harder on my finance class."  
  
"That's my girl. You are a Luceid."  
  
'I am a Luceid.'  
  
(The present)  
  
'I am a Luceid. I was once Buttercup Utonium, but now I'm Bethany Christine Luceid. Why should anything change just because I was someone else at one time? I have everything I need in this life, a wonderful boyfriend, a nice town to live in, a future as the head of world's most successful company and so many people are counting on me to run this company right. Why should anything be different?'  
  
Maxwell Luceid entered his house wondering what mindset his daughter was in. He was answered by a cheerful hello from his only daughter. The young woman trotted downstairs and hugged him vigorously.  
  
"Hi Dad, I missed you."  
  
"I missed you too, dear. It was quiet without you."  
  
"Ha ha, you say that every time I go on a business trip."  
  
"Yeah, about that.."  
  
"Don't worry, I finished my report at Grandpa's"  
  
"That's good." 'Hmm, she hasn't even acknowledged that she knows.'  
  
"Daddy?"  
  
"Yes dear?"  
  
"What was your story?"  
  
"My story?"  
  
"Yeah. I know grandpa's story and I know my story, sorta. So what's your story?"  
  
"I see. Well, I was an orphan living in a Florida city. I survived for doing jobs for local mobsters. Nothing too big, just odd jobs. One day, they had me deliver a package to a local shop. It was a bomb that killed thirteen people, including a little girl. After that day, I swore that the people who had me deliver that package would pay. I knew the police were corrupt, so I went to the local branch of the FBI and explained to them what had happened. From then on, they had me gather evidence for them. Unfortunately, the Mafia found out and came after me. Some thugs had me cornered in an abandoned building when they came."  
  
"They?"  
  
"Luceid's extraction team. They killed the thugs, knocked me out and took me out of there. When I woke up, I didn't remember any of it."  
  
"But how did you know?"  
  
"You'll find out tomorrow. We'll tell you everything tomorrow. But you need to get to bed, you have a report to give in the morning and you need your rest."  
  
"Okay, g'night Dad."  
  
Maxwell watched the young woman hurry upstairs, 'Tomorrow, she'll know everything and remember everything. What will happen then?' 


	8. I Remember

Author's Note: I've been pronouncing Luceid as "loo-sehd." Now you know (  
  
Chapter 8  
  
"So in conclusion, due to the high costs and the overall psychological make up of the citizenry, I recommend that we not make a bid on the Townsville reconstruction project at this time." B.C. finished her long report to the board. The board members began talking amongst themselves. Judging from the few words she caught, B.C. assumed that the city of Townsville wasn't going to see any Luceid workers anytime soon.  
  
"Well, I believe that will be all from Miss Luceid today on Townsville. I expect a decision by tomorrow at 3 p.m. Until then, I wish you all a pleasant morning." Maxwell ended the meeting and the members left the boardroom leaving B.C. and Maxwell alone. "Are you ready?" Maxwell asked.  
  
"Uh, yeah, I guess so."  
  
Maxwell led B.C. to his office on the top floor of the main building in the business complex. He went behind his desk and typed in a code on an unseen keypad. A bookshelf slid to one side revealing an elevator door.  
  
"Woah, just like in the movies." B.C. gasped.  
  
"A bit cliched, I admit, but it is an effective security measure." Maxwell responded. The elevator door slid open, awaiting its passengers. "After you, my dear."  
  
B.C. reluctantly entered the elevator with her father following behind her. The doors closed and B.C. felt the elevator descend. "You know Dad, this changes nothing. I'm still your daughter, I'm still a Luceid." B.C. told her father.  
  
Maxwell didn't even look at her. "That's pretty much how I felt the first time I rode on this thing." B.C. became even more nervous. 'What's gonna happen when I get down there?' B.C. thought while the LED display went past the first floor and began to indicate subterranean levels. 'Where the hell are we even going? I know we do have some underground facilities, but this deep?' The elevator came to halt and released them to an underground facility deep beneath the surface Wolf's Ridge. It looked like the R&D facilities above ground but this one had more sophisticated equipment. In one lab, technicians were testing some sort of energy rifle.  
  
"Dad, what is this place? We don't even sell weapons."  
  
"Those are for internal use only." Maxwell noticed the look of fear in his daughter's eyes, "Don't worry, they're stun rifles for our security teams." A motorized cart pulled up to B.C. and Maxwell. It was driven by a forty- three year old woman with black hair, B.C.'s old nanny and bodyguard, Kay Scion Johnson.  
  
"Hello B.C., I haven't seen you since Karen's graduation party." Kay greeted B.C.  
  
"Kay? Why are you here?"  
  
"You'll see."  
  
Maxwell and B.C. boarded the cart and Kay drove them through the hallways to a small conference room with a large monitor embedded in the far wall and chairs surrounding a long table in room's center. Maxwell, Kay and B.C. sat down at the table.  
  
"Beth, are you familiar with the term 'Luceid's Child?'" Maxwell asked.  
  
"Grandpa mentioned that. What does that mean?"  
  
"Our ancestor, Nathaniel Luceid, believed that there were certain children who instinctively possessed certain qualities that indicated potential benefits if that child was brought up in the proper setting."  
  
"Benefits?"  
  
"Leadership, intelligence, honor, intangible qualities that could lead a company or country to true greatness."  
  
"You mean.."  
  
"Yes, Beth, Nathaniel Luceid put his theory into practice. He had his most trusted friend find a child that exhibited qualities that one would associate with a successful businessman."  
  
"That friend of his was my ancestor, Elisabetha Vilkolna. Nathaniel Luceid brought her and her family over to the United States from Eastern Europe for her talents. She was deeply devoted to Mr. Luceid and was more than happy to oblige him." Kay continued the story.  
  
"Talents? What kind of talents?" B.C. asked.  
  
"She was a spy, an expert at the worst kind of espionage. Finding and securing a child to Mr. Luceid's liking was no problem for her. She taught her talents to her daughter so she could continue the family legacy as the mother of Luceid's child."  
  
"So you were the one who.."  
  
"Yes, B.C. I kidnapped Buttercup Utonium and faked her murder and brought her here so she could be you."  
  
"But why her, me?" B.C. asked shocked at this revelation.  
  
"I think Buttercup should ask that question." Maxwell said.  
  
"What are you talking about?" B.C. asked.  
  
"It's time for your final test. It's time to unlock your memories."  
  
"My memories?"  
  
"Max are you sure about this? What if..?"  
  
"That's enough Kay! This needs to happen. Beth, are you ready?"  
  
B.C. shifted uneasily in her chair, 'Am I ready? I don't know. I know I was Buttercup Utonium, Bubbles's lost sister, the girl whose "death" changed the world forever and led an entire city to its destruction. Do I want her memories though? This is my final test to see if I'm really Luceid's child. What if I'm not? What will happen to me, what will happen to the company. No, I don't care what I remember, this is my company. The people who work in the plants are counting on me to keep their jobs so they can live their lives. I need to do this, Dad said so.'  
  
"Let's do this."  
  
"Very good. Just watch the screen." Maxwell told her. The screen flashed images at a rapid rate. B.C. stared at the screen, the flashes awoke memories that have long been sealed.  
  
(Twenty years and seven months earlier)  
  
Buttercup was doing a night patrol in the city of Townsville. Tired and bored, she decided it was time to head back home when all of a sudden she heard the cackling voices of the Gangrene Gang. Buttercup flew to the source of the voices to find the thugs harassing a young woman.  
  
"Now what's a pretty thing like you doing out on a night like this. A girl like you can get into some real trouble." Ace said in his usual threatening voice. The rest of the gang just chortled menacingly as they advanced on the poor woman.  
  
'Finally some action.' Buttercup thought as she intercepted the gang. "At it again, Ace? Forget about what happens everytime you guys try to mess with people."  
  
""Uh, Buttercup, we was just offering this nice lady.. RUN FOR IT!!!" The gang scattered into the darkness, leaving Buttercup alone with the young woman. Buttercup got a better look at the woman, she had black hair and was very pretty.  
  
"Thank you for saving me."  
  
"Don't worry about it." Buttercup was about to take off when the woman stopped her.  
  
"W-Wait, would you mind walking me home?"  
  
Buttercup groaned but decided to escort her home. As they headed towards the woman's home, she decided to strike up a conversation with the girl who just saved her. "You're Buttercup, right?"  
  
"Yeah, that's me."  
  
"It's nice to meet you."  
  
"Uh-huh."  
  
"My name is Kay, I just started working at the church a few weeks ago. I'm a Sunday school teacher."  
  
"Sunday school?"  
  
"Yeah." The woman explained the concept to Buttercup. Eventually the two reached Kay's apartment. "Thank you once again for saving me and helping me get home safely. I can't pay you but if you ever want to talk to anyone about anything, I'll be more than happy to listen."  
  
"Really? Gee, thanks. Maybe I'll take you up on that. I gotta go, so I'll see ya later." Buttercup flew off and headed back to her own home. 'Hmm, first time anyone ever offered to listen to me. She seems pretty cool.'  
  
(Two and a half weeks later)  
  
Buttercup was busy in class drawing when Ms. Keane announced it was time to hand back the tests the class had done earlier. When Ms. Keane reached the girls' table she seemed incredibly happy. "I'd just like to congratulate our Buttercup on her remarkable improvement." The teacher smiled while handing Buttercup her test. The paper bore a huge 'B' on it.  
  
"Wow, Buttercup. You did better than me." Bubbles told her, a little excited for sister. "How did you do it?"  
  
"I had some help studying." Buttercup answered proudly. The time she spent with Miss Kay had paid off. Not only did the young woman offer a friendly ear but also helped Buttercup with her studies.  
  
"Well that's wonderful." Ms. Keane beamed and the class applauded Buttercup. The girl was so caught up in the praise for her, she didn't notice Blossom staring daggers at her.  
  
Later at recess, Buttercup was watching Bubbles draw her chalk drawings when Blossom confronted her, "Don't think I don't know what's going on."  
  
"Huh? What are you talking about?"  
  
"Don't play innocent with me. You cheated on that test!"  
  
"What?! I did not!"  
  
"Oh really? Then how did you get such a good grade?"  
  
"I told you, I had some help studying."  
  
"HA! Do really expect me to believe that. I know you. You couldn't study if your life depended on it. You're nothing but lousy cheater."  
  
"You better take that back, Red." Buttercup was really pissed. The class gathered around anticipating a fight.  
  
"What's the meaning of this?" Ms. Keane came out to investigate the commotion and was now angrily glaring at the girls.  
  
"Ms. Keane, Buttercup cheated on her test." Blossom told her teacher.  
  
"I did not!" Buttercup retorted.  
  
"That's enough! Blossom how do you know that your sister was cheating."  
  
"Well.. I.. I just do!"  
  
"Blossom Utonium, I'm surprised and disappointed in you. You should know better than to make accusations without proof. You apologize to your sister right this instant."  
  
"But Ms. Keane.."  
  
"NOW!"  
  
"Buttercup, I'm sorry." Blossom grumbled and stalked off enraged at what had happened. It was obvious that the red head was convinced that Buttercup had cheated. It would be a few days before the two were on speaking terms again.  
  
(Ten days later)  
  
Buttercup sadly listened to the bawling coming from the girls' room. Bubbles most prized possession was destroyed in the last monster attack. Buttercup personally didn't care for Octi, but she hated knowing that Bubbles was so sad. Secretly she loved how cheerful and carefree her blonde sister was, her perpetual happiness was one of the few reasons Buttercup still continued fight alongside her sisters even while her faith and interest in crimefighting had begun to dwindle. Buttercup floated upstairs and into the bedroom. Bubbles crying hadn't ceased since they got home. The blonde had buried her face in a pillow and crying as hard as she could. Blossom was sitting in the corner, watching her sister in despair.  
  
"How is she?" Buttercup asked.  
  
"It's no use. You know how much she loved Octi. I don't think she'll ever get over this." Blossom quietly answered.  
  
Buttercup looked at Bubbles again. She sighed and went into the closet. She pulled her journal from a shelf and jotted down an entry. She then put her journal away and looked at a huge bag that she wrote on stating that what was inside belonged to her and woe to anyone who would dare to touch it. 'Can't believe I'm going to do this but she needs them more than I ever will.' Buttercup grabbed the bag and offered the contents to Bubbles. Blossom sailed in from the corner and comment on the value of Buttercup's gift. Bubbles stopped crying and inspected the pile of Fuzzy Friends. Buttercup had explained where they had came from. Bubbles had found the special Dragon Fuzzy Friend that was a personal gift from the inventor herself. Bubbles was more interested in the dragon then in Buttercup's story. "And I can keep her?" Bubbles asked.  
  
"Yeah sure." Buttercup was about to continue telling the story when Bubbles tackled her at full force and wrapped her arms around the green- eyed puff. Buttercup could barely breathe, Bubbles was holding her so tight. Bubbles squealed happily and quickly called the Professor to tell of Buttercup's unexpected generosity.  
  
"Are you okay?" Blossom laughed as she helped Buttercup back on to her feet.  
  
"Yeah, man it felt like a monster grabbed me." Buttercup groaned to Blossom.  
  
"That was a very wonderful thing you did for your sister." The Professor told Buttercup, all smiles.  
  
"Uh-huh." Buttercup was out of breath and a little sore from Bubbles's enthusiastic reaction to her new toys. But she felt good, bringing so much happiness to her sister in her time of need.  
  
(Three weeks later)  
  
'Mojo Jojo, how many times do we have to fight him, before it's over. How many people have to get hurt before someone actually puts him away for good.' Buttercup was frustrated by the mutated chimpanzee's frequent releases from jail. It was obvious that Mojo had no intention of stopping his attacks yet he always manages to get out of jail. The girls were flying to where the mayor said Mojo was attacking. "Same thing, we stop him, throw him in jail, and then they let him back out. Am I the only one who sees how wrong this is?" Buttercup muttered quietly. Mojo's robot came into view, another one his Robo Jojos, this particular one had rather nasty looking laser attached to it. Buttercup felt a little scared when she saw the primate's expression. His eyes danced with a madness that she had never seen before. The crazed mutant began to charge the laser and aim at the girls. 'Something's wrong.' Buttercup thought. Suddenly the robot swiveled to fire at the crowd of spectators.  
  
"Omigosh, he's gonna shoot the townspeople!" Bubbles shrieked. The girls were frozen. Mojo was too far away for any physical attack, there was only one option. 'I have to take the shot or else all those people will get killed, but it might.. I have to, I can't let them die." Buttercup fired her heat vision at the laser causing the device to erupt in a spectacular explosion. The girls flew through the air like ragdolls and crashed a few feet from a build that was previously several hundred feet behind them. The trio got up and flew to the wreckage of Mojo's robot. Blossom reluctantly lifted up a piece of debris to check on Mojo's condition. Blossom dropped the metal in shock.  
  
"Mojo Jojo, he-he's gone." Buttercup couldn't believe what her sister just said. She looked for herself and saw the still body of Mojo Jojo, staring at her with dead eyes, his face frozen in a hideous grin as if to tell her he had won. It was too much for the young girl to bear. She had no love for Mojo Jojo but she never wanted to kill him.  
  
"I-I didn't mean.. It was an accident.. I didn't want to.. Oh God, I'm sorry, I'M SO SORRY!!!" Buttercup took off, her eyes began to tear up. She flew to the one person she felt understood her, Miss Kay. Buttercup flew to her friend's apartment and knocked on the door.  
  
Miss Kay opened the door to find her young friend staring at her with tear- filled eyes. "Buttercup are you okay?"  
  
"It was Mojo again. He had a giant robot with a big laser and was about to shoot the people with the laser, so I.. I killed him."  
  
"Oh my god! Sweetie come here." Kay picked up the child and held her. Buttercup broke down and cried as hard she could while Kay rocked her in her arms, comforting the upset child. "It's okay. I promise you it'll be okay."  
  
An hour later, Buttercup calmed down enough to tell Kay what had happened. "I didn't know what else to do. I knew if I fired on that laser something bad was going to happen, but if I didn't do anything he would have killed all those people. I didn't want anyone getting hurt. Everyone is going to hate me."  
  
"Sweetie look at me." Buttercup looked up at Kay's eyes. "This was going to happen eventually. This whole incident was not your fault."  
  
"It is my fault. If I hadn't.."  
  
"Buttercup Utonium, you listen to me!" Miss Kay shouted angrily. "You weren't the one who kept letting that lunatic out of prison. You weren't the one who sold him the materials to build those awful machines of his. You were the one who protected the people of Townsville. You did the right thing. If you hadn't, you and your sisters would have been held responsible for the death of dozens of people. It's ridiculous how this city is, expecting children to fight for them. Tell me Buttercup, what has the city of Townsville done to protect itself?"  
  
"I-I don't know."  
  
"From what I can see, nothing. Don't you find that to be a little strange?"  
  
"I guess so." Buttercup answered meekly.  
  
"Look, why don't you rest up a bit and I'll make us something to eat. Will that be alright?"  
  
"Yeah." Miss Kay left Buttercup by her self to think about what she was told, 'Miss Kay does has a point, they kept letting Mojo out even after everything he's done. And how did he get all that stuff to make those robots and weapons? Hmmm.' Miss Kay made lunch for the two of them and they talked for a couple of hours. "I'd better get home. Everyone is gonna be worried about me."  
  
"Alright, be careful sweetie. And if you ever need anything, please come see me."  
  
"I will, thanks Miss Kay." Buttercup left Kay's apartment and headed home when she heard Bubbles crying. 'Oh man, she must have been looking for me all this time.' Buttercup landed on the building where Bubbles was crying. "Bubbles?" Bubbles looked up at her. "Bubbles, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." Bubbles ran up to Buttercup and hugged her. Buttercup held her sister and explained where she was. "Let's go home, the Professor and Blossom are probably worried about us." Buttercup told Bubbles and weakly smiled, seeing the doubt and fear in her sister's eyes. 'Please don't hate me.' Buttercup thought while she and her sister flew home.  
  
(Three days later)  
  
Buttercup put the finishing touch on her resignation speech. Miss Kay and Buttercup agreed that it was time to call it quits. The people's reaction to Mojo Jojo's death was predictably negative. It had occurred to Buttercup, that her fighting was nothing but a bloodsport for the people of Townsville and that she had just put an end to one of their favorite events. Buttercup wrote down her latest thoughts in her journal and snickered, imagining how shocked everyone was going to be when she dropped the bomb on them.  
  
"BUTTERCUP!" the Professor angrily shouted from his lab.  
  
"Now what?" Buttercup muttered out loud. She went down to the lab to find her father and Blossom glaring at her.  
  
"Buttercup, would you mind explaining this?" the Professor pointed to a broken machine on the floor.  
  
"Looks like one your inventions fell on the floor." Buttercup answered.  
  
"I know that, but maybe you could tell me how it fell on the floor."  
  
"I have no idea." Buttercup snorted.  
  
"Oh, I think you do."  
  
"What?! I didn't break your dumb ol' invention."  
  
"That's enough! Young lady you go up to your room and stay there until you're willing to tell me the truth."  
  
"Unbelievable, I get blamed for everything that goes on around here." Buttercup muttered irritated.  
  
Buttercup floated to her room, none too happy about being blamed for the Professor's broken invention. She gave a quick glance at Bubbles. Buttercup instantly knew it was her. The guilt in the blonde's eyes gave it away. 'Figures it would be her. Oh well, she'll admit it, sooner or later. Lucky it wasn't Blossom, she'd never admit it. Funny, that girl is a slave to that goody-two shoes morality of hers but when it comes to covering her own..'  
  
"Why can't you take responsibility for what you've done. The Professor worked real hard on that invention and you destroyed it." Blossom nagged.  
  
"For the last, it wasn't me. I'm not gonna fess up to something I didn't do." Buttercup retorted.  
  
"Right, like you didn't kill Mojo." Buttercup turned red from anger, how dare she bring that up.  
  
"THAT WAS AN ACCIDENT!!!"  
  
"Sometimes I wonder." Blossom growled. That was it, Buttercup swung around and faced the redhead. It took every fiber of self-control she had to keep herself from grabbing Blossom and beating the crap out of her.  
  
"Just stay away from me." She warned Blossom. Enraged, Buttercup flew into their room and slammed the door as hard as she could. Buttercup grabbed her journal and reported the incident. Buttercup looked at the clock. 'Hmm, it'll take Bubbles a little while to fess up. Might as well go meet Miss Kay in the woods.' Buttercup pulled out the pendant that Miss Kay gave her yesterday. She could hear some quiet beeping from it with her super hearing. 'I wonder what that is. Oh who cares, it's probably nothing.' Buttercup quietly snuck out the window and waited until she far enough to take off at full speed without being noticed by her family. Buttercup reached the secluded clearing deep in Townsville Forest. "Hmm, that's strange. Kay hasn't got here yet. I hope she doesn't take too long. If they find out I'm not home, I'm really gonna get it.' Buttercup heard a faint whine of a device being charged. Buttercup turned her head to investigate the noise only to find an energy bolt flying right at her. The bolt struck her square in the chest knocking the girl out. The last thing she heard before succumbing to the darkness was the voices of many people including Miss Kay.  
  
(The Present)  
  
"I remember." It was surreal. The memories of another person, another life, suddenly bloomed in B.C.'s head. "My memories.." B.C. didn't know what to make of the experience. She remembered how angry she was with Blossom, with the Professor, with Bubbles, with the people of Townsville. B.C. looked at Kay. "You.. You were the one who.." B.C. got up from the chair. "I need to be alone for awhile."  
  
"B.C. wait.." Kay got up to stop her from leaving but Maxwell grabbed her.  
  
"Leave her be." Maxwell turned towards his "daughter." "Just ask a security guard to let you out." B.C. wordlessly left the room.  
  
"Max, we can't let her go like this."  
  
"It'll be alright. She needs some time alone." Maxwell sighed and continued, "In all honesty, she took it a whole lot better than I did." 


	9. Getting Back Buttercup

Chapter 9

Blossom felt a little cramped in the back of Bubbles 2013 model car. It was small and fuel-efficient but not fun to ride in with the family's luggage. Bubbles and the Professor were in the front, happily chatting away, ignoring the reason why the Utonium family reunited in the first place, the apparent abduction of Buttercup. Blossom looked out the window at the scenery of Citiesville. It was a spectacular sight, modern buildings glowed with window lights, neon signs and spotlights. Blossom almost forgot about her troubles until she caught a glimpse of a billboard bearing the Luceid insignia. She felt her blood boil when she caught sight of the wolf's head that represented the very corporation that robbed her of her sister. 'Twenty years worth of torment and guilt.' Blossom thought bitterly.

(Twenty years earlier)

Blossom sat on the bedroom floor propped by the end of the girls' bed and stared at pile of toys that once belonged to her late sister. Bubbles was lying on the bed sobbing quietly. The poor girl had cried as hard as she could when the Professor made the horrible announcement and never stopped. By the time Buttercup's funeral had started, the girl had used up all off her energy leaving only a sobbing, broken mass. Tears were flowing from Blossom's rose colored eyes as she continued to stare at the pile of Buttercup's toys. 'She's gone. I practically accuse her of intentionally taking a life, and now she's gone.' Blossom couldn't shake the guilt of her last words to Buttercup. 'Why did I say that? Why?' The pain was unbearable, Blossom began to weep bitterly, wishing she could apologize to Buttercup. Blossom's thoughts were cut off by the buzzing of the hotline. Blossom ignored it, she didn't care what was happening.

"THEIR SISTER ISN'T EVEN COLD IN HER GRAVE AND YOU DARE CALL THEM! I DON'T CARE IF THE BANK IS BEING ROBBED! HAVE THOSE DAMN COPS DO THEIR JOBS FOR ONCE!" The Professor screamed from downstairs. The next sound Blossom heard was the smashing of the hotline phone that was downstairs. The Professor almost instantly appeared in the doorway red and shaking from a rage that the redhead had never seen before. "Girls, I want you to pack up your things. We're leaving this awful place forever."

"But Professor, we can't leave. I don't want leave Buttercup." Blossom weakly protested.

The Professor picked up the mourning redhead, "I've already lost one of my precious angels to Townsville. I don't want to lose anymore." The professor looked sadly at Bubbles clutching the stuffed dragon Buttercup gave to her. "Please understand that I want to protect you girls. Please help your sister, Blossom."

"O-Okay." Blossom knew it was pointless to resist. She still didn't want to leave. Buttercup was buried here and she felt if they left, they would be abandoning their sister.

(The Present)

Bubbles was happily chatting with the Professor. It had been awhile since the family was together. Bubbles took a quick look in the rear view mirror and caught the look in Blossom's eyes. 'She's agitated. Better get 'em all home,' Bubbles thought and sped up to the speed limit. Bubbles was thrilled at the possibility that her long lost sister was still alive. However, it was obvious that a certain other sister needed to be defused. "Here we are." Bubbles announced as she pulled into the parking space behind the building she owned. The family flopped out of the car and entered the back door leading directly in to Bubbles apartment. Bubbles showed her father to her room. He immediately fell asleep on her bed. Bubbles just giggled, he had been getting on in years and no longer had the energy to keep up with his daughters. Bubbles went downstairs to find Blossom sitting on the loveseat. The red haired woman looked ready to burst.

"He's asleep now. Went out the moment he hit the bed. Let's talk in my office. We won't be able to disturb him in there." The two went into the office of Bubbles's store. The two sat down at Bubble's desk.

"Alright, Bubbles, let's just go over what we know. You met Ms. Luceid and suspected she was really Buttercup. How did you come to that assumption."

Bubbles thought back to her meeting, "Well, to be honest I didn't really figure it out until last night. She didn't look like us, so I didn't catch it at first. She asked me about Buttercup during our conversation about Townsville so I talked to her about Buttercup. After awhile I started crying.. thinking about her." Bubbles speech slowed during her last words.

"Go on."

"Right, so she hugged me. She comforted me. It seemed strange since we just met, but it felt so good being held by her. It felt like the time when the Professor told us and when he held us." Bubbles stopped, the memory of that sad day still hurt her.

"I see. Anything else."

"Yeah, she acted a whole lot like Buttercup. She told me about when she was growing up and it reminded so much about how Buttercup was. (giggle) She even teased me a little bit, the way Buttercup did. Yeah more that I think about, the more I'm sure that B.C. was really Buttercup."

"B.C.?"

"That's her nickname. She said her nanny, Kay gave her that name."

"Kay? Bubbles did Buttercup mention anyone named Kay to you?"

Bubbles thought for a moment, "Yeah, now that you mention it. After Mojo was killed, Buttercup said she was talking to a "Miss Kay." Said she was helping her out with herself. Oh god, I'm such a moron!"

"What?"

"That's what B.C. said about her nanny. Oh why didn't I remember when she mentioned it."

"It's okay, Bubbles. Even if you did remember, I doubt there it would have made much difference."

"I guess so. How did you know about Miss Kay anyways?"

"Buttercup's journal." Blossom answered. "She came up a few times in her final entries. I think that this Miss Kay was responsible for her abduction."

"Abduction.. Why would they want to kidnap Buttercup?"

"Luceid's Child."

"Luceid's what?"

"Well, it's a bit complex but let's just say that the Luceid Corporation thought Buttercup would have made a good CEO."

"So they kidnapped her, because they thought she'd make a good CEO? That doesn't make any sense."

"They wanted to raise her the way they wanted. I guess they wanted us out of the loop, so they'd have complete control over how she grew up and what kind of person she would turn out to be."

"T-That's terrible."

"Exactly, that's why we need to expose these people and their crimes.."

"Wait a minute! Shouldn't we be concentrating on getting Buttercup back in to our lives and getting us into her life? We can't just go on some crusade against the Luceid Corporation, we'd might end up hurting her."

Blossom was incredulous, "Bubbles, don't you realize what they've done? They took our sister away from us, Townsville was destroyed, super heroes all over the world lost their jobs and thousands lost their lives because of battles against super villains. All because some mega-corporation wanted our sister to be the next head honcho."

"Don't you think I know that!?" Bubbles yelled back, "Everything that happened back then, it was going to happen eventually. Buttercup was going to quit because she knew how the people really felt about us. We didn't realize it because nobody hated us. You were the smart and pretty one, I was the cute and bubbly one, so we just assumed everyone loved us for what we were, not what we did for them. But Buttercup didn't have that, she was only the toughest fighter as far as anyone was concerned, so it was easier for her to see how everyone was. She knew that we were being used, not just as a substitute for the police but as entertainment as well. She knew and we would have found out even if she wasn't kidnapped."

"But.. But.."

"But what? You would have talked her out of quitting? We would've been able to handle Townsville by ourselves? C'mon Blossom, you know how stubborn she was, you'd have better luck talking HIM or the Rowdyruff Boys out of harassing us. And there was no way we could take care of Townsville by ourselves, we were a team, all three of us needed to be out there"

"But she was our sister." Blossom started to cry, "She was supposed to grow up with us. I wanted to help her grow and develop. I wanted her to help me grow and develop. I-It's not fair, she was supposed to be with us, not some stupid rich guy and his stupid corporation. I suffered twenty years of pain and guilt, it's not fair goddamnit."

Bubbles got up and wrapped her arms around sobbing sister. "I know it's not fair. It hurt me too, but I don't care about that. All I want is to get my big, tough sister back and we have that chance now. So why don't we get some sleep and tomorrow we can figure out how to get our sister back."

Blossom sniffed and stopped crying, "Y-you're right. We need to get our sister back, but still, we can't let them get away with this."

"I know. Let's worry about that later though. We should concentrate on getting Buttercup back."

The two sisters went back into the apartment. Blossom unrolled a mat that Bubbles had brought out for her and slept on the floor. Bubbles lied down on her loveseat and watched her sister fall asleep. 'I know why she was so mad. She and Buttercup always had a special bond that I could never have had. They were the worst of rivals yet they complimented each other so well. Blossom was always the rational one, always obeying the rules, always thinking things out. Buttercup on the other hand she was the one who always acted before thinking, she never liked plans or the leadership of others. But they always worked well together. They balanced eachother out. I know I had my part in the team but those two had something special and I don't think they even realized it.' Bubbles smiled at her sleeping sister and went to sleep.

The next morning Bubbles was awakened by the Professor searching her refrigerator. "Morning Professor." Bubbles tiredly greeted her father.

"Good Morning Bubbles, I was going to make breakfast for you girls but it doesn't seem like you have anything to make it with."

"Well I usually eat breakfast at the café down the street. As soon as Blossom wakes up, we can all go."

"Well if that's what you want but I was really looking forward to making breakfast for you girls. It been such a long time since we've all been together."

"We were together last Christmas, silly." Bubbles giggled.

"I know dear, but it seems like a long time to me." The Professor got out of the refrigerator and sat down at the table. "Bubbles, Blossom told me you spoke to that young woman."

"You mean Buttercup?"

"Yes. Was she.. alright."

"She seemed okay to me."

"What I mean is did she have a good life. Did she seem to be well taken care of."

"She seemed pretty happy. She didn't seem to remember me or acted like she knew me, but she definitely had a good life."

"And you're sure she's our Buttercup."

"Yes."

"Thank goodness." The Professor looked as if a great burden was lifted from his shoulders.

"Is everything alright Professor?"

"Yes, it is now. Oh, Bubbles, when you girls began to fight crime, my worst nightmare was that I might lose you girls. When the police brought her dress all covered with blood, I felt as though a part of me died at that moment. Knowing that your sister is safe and lived well, it's such a relief."

"Yeah, it is."

"I just hope we can see her again."

"Me too, Professor."

Soon Blossom woke up and the three ate breakfast at the café Bubbles had mentioned. Even though he didn't make it, the Professor felt good seeing his daughters eating breakfast together. Losing Buttercup had been a nightmarish ordeal for him, and it was his remaining daughters that kept him sane in those trying times. They were only little girls, yet the world had expected so much from them. He knew that their lives were constantly being put on the line, yet he felt he was the only one who realized that. He lost count of how many times he'd nearly lost all of them, yet they still kept at it, always going out there saving the day. All he could do was support them and encourage them, but part of him always worried that the day would come that his daughters wouldn't come home. He remembered how much it hurt after he confirmed the blood on the green and black torn fabric the police had brought to him belonged to Buttercup. The worst part though was having to tell his remaining daughters the fate of their sister. The pain in their eyes on that day always stuck with him. He had always assumed Maxwell Luceid was a good man based on his correspondence with his former colleagues who worked for the Luceid Corporation. But how could anyone with a conscience knowingly raise a child stolen from her loving family. It was good to know that Buttercup was well taken care of, but it didn't make up for the years of suffering he and his family had to endure.

(Notte Falls, Twenty years Earlier)

Professor Utonium had finally finished his latest invention. Its purpose was simple, to take away his daughters' powers and hopefully make them more human. He didn't know how it would affect them psychologically considering they've been through a summer of hell. The loss of their sister had nearly destroyed them, Bubbles had fallen into a deep depression saying nothing save the tormented screaming at night, begging for her Buttercup back. Blossom had tired to remain cool throughout the whole ordeal but she would frequently fall into crying fits at the slightest provocation. To make things worse, the city of Townsville had recently been destroyed in a massive riot resulting in a national anti-superhero backlash. He tried to hide his daughters' eyes from the horrific event but to no avail. Eventually they found out and at the worst possible time too. They were all watching cartoons when a news flash showed the remains of their former house. The vandalized structure accusing them of abandoning their hometown had devastated them. The Professor hated the people of the Townsville since that day, a hatred that his daughters would pick up. However, all was not lost. He had befriended a young woman at a small community college where he had applied for a teaching position. The young woman was a child therapist who was a former child super hero who had lost a close friend in her final battle. She had agreed to help the girls for free, considering she knew how hard the recent events must have been for them. "The first thing you should do is to give them a normal life. It'll help them immensely, believe me." She told him. It made sense, his daughters did deserve a normal life after what they've been through, so he decided to what the doctor had suggested.

"Girls, it's ready!" he called to his remaining children. Bubbles and Blossom floated downstairs to the new lab they and the Professor built immediately after moving to their new home. The girls looked at machine the Professor had built. They both knew what it was for.

"This is it, huh?" Blossom sighed sadly. Bubbles didn't say anything, she just look at the Professor with sad blue eyes.

"It's time girls." He told them. The sad looks on their faces broke his heart. Their powers were part of their identity and he was going to rob them of that. "Are you ready?"

"Professor are you sure about this?" Blossom asked, her eyes beginning to tear up.

"Yes dear." The Professor sighed trying not to crack, "We've discussed this with Dr. Kamia. She said this was the best for you two. And you know how people feel about super heroes these days."

"I know, it's just that.." Blossom couldn't finish, she just began to weep.

"I know it's hard for you, but it needs to be done."

(The Present)

'Didn't they realize how much pain and suffering they've caused?' the Professor thought angrily.

"Professor, are you okay?" Bubbles asked.

"I'm fine dear." The Professor answered trying to hide his anger. Blossom knew what he was thinking. She could see it in his eyes. Losing Buttercup hurt him the most. He blamed himself for what had happened, not just to Buttercup but to all of them. She lost count of the times she overheard him lamenting the fact that he punished Buttercup for something she didn't do during an emotionally fragile time for her, allowing his daughters to fight crime, whatever he could blame himself for, he did. She hated the Luceid Corporation even more everytime she looked at him.

After breakfast, the three returned to Bubbles's home. Bubbles was making arrangements for a friend to run the store while she was taking care of family business. The Professor had fallen asleep siting in Bubbles's recliner. Blossom began reading Buttercup's journal. Reading every complaint about her felt like a dagger in her heart, tears flowed down her face.

"What's wrong Blossom?" Bubbles asked her.

Blossom didn't turn her eyes away from thee notebook, "Bubbles was I really that bad of a sister."

"Huh?"

"I only wanted what was best for her. I didn't mean to be so hard on her."

"Lemme see that." Bubbles grabbed the journal and searched through it. "Ahh, here we are. Read this one." Bubbles showed Blossom an entry.

'11-10 Blossom's in pretty bad shape. The Professor said she'd be alright, but when I look at his eyes I can tell how worried he is. If she doesn't make it, I don't know what I'm gonna do. I'm no leader, at least not like her. God I wish I could be more like her. She's so smart and confident and such a good leader. I could never be like her. The world needs her. If only it was me instead of her.'

"That was when I got injured and nearly died. Bubbles how did you know how she felt?"

"I've always known. Buttercup always looked up to you. Sure she'd complain about you a lot but that was Buttercup being Buttercup. Deep down, you meant the world to her and she knew you were only trying to help her."

Blossom smiled despite herself, "Thanks Bubbles."

"(giggle) Anytime sis. Remember the last time we talked about her?"

"Yeah."

(Five years earlier)

Blossom was driving Bubbles to the airport in the next city. The blonde just bought a place in Citiesville. She was leaving the tranquil town of Notte Falls to start her own comic book store using the money she made selling the rare Fuzzy Friends Buttercup gave to her shortly before she died. Blossom initially opposed Bubbles's plans, but eventually gave in.

"Bubbles, I'm sorry I've been such a pain in the ass about this."

"It's okay, you're just worried about me. I know you didn't mean any harm.."

"You know, this is a pretty brave thing you're doing. I'm proud of you."

"Really! "Bubbles smiled widely at her sister's praise, "Do you think she would have been proud of me too?"

Blossom knew who she was talking about, "Don't you ever doubt that." Buttercup had always been secretly proud of Bubbles, especially when the blonde stood up to her.

"What do you think she'd be doing if she grew up?"

"She'd be a scientist like the Professor." Blossom answered without even thinking about it.

"You're talking about Buttercup, right?" Bubbles looked quizzically at her sister.

"Of course. Don't you remember what the Professor would tell us when ever she got us mad?"

"Oh yeah! He'd laugh and say, 'I was just like that when I was that age.' And then he'd punish her." Bubbles giggled. The two sisters laughed all the way to the airport.

(The Present)

Hours had past into the evening and the Utonium family was no closer to coming up with a solid plan to recover Buttercup from the clutches of the Luceid Corporation. They knew from Bubbles, that Buttercup's memory had been erased and most likely wouldn't believe she their long lost sister and daughter. The three continued to deliberate over how to reclaim Buttercup and restore her memories when the phone rang. Frustrated, Bubbles snarled and got up to answer the phone.

"Hello?" Bubbles eyes went wide when the voice on the other line responded, 'It's her.' She quietly mouthed to her family. Blossom and Professor Utonium listened intently to phone conversation. "Oh, hiya, B.C., how are you today?" Bubbles's jaw dropped, her eyes got even bigger and the phone slipped from her hand.

"She knows." Bubbles said breathlessly.


	10. Resolving the Past

Chapter Ten

B.C. sat alone on a bench in the Nathaniel Luceid Memorial Park. She stared at the statue of her "ancestor," Nathaniel Luceid for hours. 'He was the one who started this. Because of some dead guy, I was ripped away from my home and family. Because of him, Townsville is nothing but smoking pile of rubble. Because of him, Bubbles, Blossom and the Professor all think they drove me to my death. So why can't I hate him? Why can't I get angry at Kay? She's the one who set me up and took me away from them. Is it because my life was so good? I mean, I've got everything anyone could ever want. A comfortable lifestyle, a wonderful boyfriend who worships the ground I walk on, a bright future as the head of a major corporation. But it cost me so much and I didn't even ask for it.'

"GRRARGH!" B.C. screamed at the top of her lungs, jumping up from the bench. She was frustrated by her situation. 'What the hell should I do now?'

"Hey B.C., are you alright?"

B.C. swung around to find James staring at her carrying two hotdogs.

"I heard you were at the park so I wanted to meet you for lunch." James stammered.

"I'm sorry James, it's just.. well, it's hard to explain. I'm kinda going through some deep shit right now."

"You wanna talk about it?"

"Not now, why don't you meet tonight at the Full Moon Club after work and I'll talk about then."

"Promise?"

"Blood oath."

B.C.'s response was good enough for him. However she was awfully quiet, even more so than when she first got back and that scared the hell out of him. They ate their hotdogs in silence save the ambient noise from the park. After a few minutes of awkward silence, B.C. finally spoke, "James, what would you do if you found out you had another life?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well let's say before you were James Peterson, you were someone else. You had another family, another life, and you not found out but remembered everything about it. What would you do?"

"I don't know. Why?"

"Just think about it."

"Uh, okay." James just gave his beloved a strange look. 'What the hell does that mean?' "Uhh, we should be getting back to work here."

"I'm taking the day off."

"I see. Well, I'll see you later at the club then."

"Yeah." B.C. watched James walk off. 'Poor James. I must be putting him through hell. But how am I supposed to tell him? What if he starts telling people about this? It would ruin the company. No, I can trust him. But still, how can even explain it to him when I don't fully understand it myself. I mean, I'm Bethany Luceid but I'm also Buttercup Utonium. Oh man, what the hell am I supposed to do?' B.C. got up from the bench she was sitting on and walked to the street. She wanted to go home and try and forget she was Buttercup. B.C. waited for a taxi, normally she would walk home but she was wearing pumps and those were no fun to walk in. A blue SUV pulled up to her, it was Kay.

"You want a ride?" her old friend asked.

"Yeah, sure." B.C. climbed into the vehicle and sat in the passenger seat. "Could you take me home please?" B.C. didn't say anything else. Normally the two would be engaged in conversation but B.C. just didn't feel like talking, especially to Kay.

"B.C., I understand that you're upset.."

"That's just it Kay. I'm not upset. I know I should be, but I'm not. I don't know what I am, but I know I'm not upset and it's bugging the hell out of me."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really"

Kay chuckled, "You never did like talking about your emotions, as Buttercup or Bethany."

"..."

The silent drive continued for a few more minutes until B.C. spoke up again, "So why me? Why Buttercup Utonium. What made me so special that I qualified to be the next Luceid's child or whatever?"

"There are so many reasons, I don't know where to start."

(Twenty years earlier, Townsville)

Kay Scion believed she had the worst job in the world. She was going to steal a little girl away from her home, a little girl whom she grew to love as a little sister or daughter. Part of her was more than happy to take Buttercup away from the city of Townsville, the city that she felt was using the girl and her sisters to do their dirty work. She heard the whispering, the accusations that Buttercup intentionally killed Mojo Jojo, the rumors that she was nothing more than a murderous monster. Kay's blood boiled when she heard anyone talking bad about the child. How could they hurt someone dedicated to protecting them? But on the other hand, Buttercup still loved her family. The little girl's worst fear was that they would turn against her like the rest of Townsville. Deep down in her heart Kay knew this wasn't going to happen but still, Bryant Luceid approved of Kay's recommendation of Buttercup and now she had to find a way to claim the girl for the company and the Luceid family.

Kay had thought of a plan to get Buttercup back to Wolf's Ridge and ensure that no one would suspect it was a kidnapping, when a knock on the door interrupted her scheming.

"Miss Kay can I come in?" It was Buttercup. Kay knew the girl would be visiting, it was emotionally challenging time for the brunette and Kay had been the best help for her.

"Come on in, Buttercup." Buttercup entered the apartment where Kay had been staying. The child's green eyes betrayed the hurt that the girl had hidden. "How you holding up sweetie?"

"Not too good." Buttercup admitted, "I can hear them talking about me. Ever since I killed him, they've been talking about me, giving me dirty looks, all sorts of things."

"I know sweetie." It was nearly impossible for Kay to hold in her anger.

"You know, sometimes I wonder why I even bother. We nearly kill ourselves for the people of Townsville and they still treat me like dirt. This isn't the first time this has happened either. Once some cute animals started robbing places and when tried to stop them, we were the bad guys, can you believe that?"

"So why do you bother then?"

"Who knows?" Buttercup thought for a second, "Why should I bother? They don't give a crap about me and I bet they don't care about Blossom and Bubbles either. They just want us to fight their battles for them while they watch and have a good time. You said that people like Mojo Jojo wind up spending the rest of their life in prison out there, why not here?"

"Why do you think Mojo Jojo kept getting released from rpison?"

"I think it's because they like watching us fight. It never occurs to those morons that we're getting hurt, that people are trying to kill us."

"So what are you going to do about it?"

"Hmmm." Buttercup thought a few minutes further, "I think I'll stop being their super hero. Yeah, I'm gonna quit this. No more Buttercup saving the day, no more getting hurt for their enjoyment. They don't really appreciate me, so I'm not going to help them anymore."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, I mean I know the girls won't stop and I'll watch their backs, of course, but I'm not gonna go the extra mile for a bunch lazy, stupid jerks who're calling me a murderer. And sooner or later, Red and Bubbles will see where I'm coming from, and maybe they'll even wise up and join me. Yeah, it'll be great." Buttercup seemed to be excited about her plan, "What do you think."

Kay smiled warmly, "I think that's a great idea."

"Really!?"

"Yes, now stay right here I want to give you something." Kay left Buttercup and went into her bedroom. She pulled a necklace with silver wolf's head, it was the corporate insignia of the Luceid Corporation. Since the Morebucks family had virtually shut out all other businesses, there was no way Buttercup would recognize it. But there was more to it, inside the pendant was a tracking device. Kay went back to the living room where she left Buttercup. "Here you go sweetie." Kay handed the necklace to Buttercup.

Buttercup inspected the necklace and smiled, "Cool, it's a wolf's head. This is awesome, thanks Kay."

"You're welcome." Kay smiled back. "How about we have a picnic tomorrow."

"A picnic?"

"Yeah, you and me, tomorrow in Townsville woods. We can forget about Townsville and just enjoy some nice food in the forest."

"That sounds like fun." Buttercup brightened up.

"Great! I'll meet you tomorrow at three at campground #17."

"Okay, I'm gonna go home and work on my resignation speech. I'll see you tomorrow." Buttercup smiled and waved goodbye. The young girl shot off back to her home while Kay watched.

'Tomorrow.. Tomorrow is the day when you get a new life, my little angel.'

(The Present)

"You had so much potential. When I first met you and got to know you, I could see it in you. But they were holding you back, suppressing you."

"Who? The people of Townsville?"

"Yes! They kept you down, turned on you. Everyday I spent in that god forsaken place, I'd listen to them, making jokes about you, talking about what violent little brute you were, how dumb you were, how you were nothing more than the toughest fighter. All you were to them was a stereotype. And you kept acting the part and it was killing me. I knew you were more than just the toughest fighter so I told the Luceids about you, about who you really were." Kay swallowed hard before going on. "You knew the consequences if you fired at that maniac's laser but you did it anyways. That showed me how you were. That wasn't impulsiveness or an obsession with violence, that was self-sacrifice. The people of Townsville didn't know that, they didn't want to know. They just wanted be mad at Buttercup the stereotypical reckless, violent savage. God, when I think about what would have happened to you if I hadn't been there for you.."

B.C. nodded, it was Miss Kay who helped her the most through that tough time.

"I know I hurt your family and not a day goes by where I don't hate myself for doing so, but I don't regret bringing you here."

"I understand." No matter what B.C. could never bring herself to think ill of Kay. The woman had been the closest thing to a mother she'd ever had. Kay had only done what she thought was best for her. Even if did cost her her real family, B.C. knew that Kay had been looking out for her. "Kay, I just want you to know that I'm don't hate you, in fact I love you. I know it couldn't have been easy for you to do what you did. But I do think it was wrong for you take me away from my family, even if I did get in a fight with them and I had given up on Townsville, I still loved them and I didn't want to leave them no matter how bad it was. I know that hurts you but I needed to tell you that."

"I'm sorry."

"I know you are." B.C. sighed and looked out the window. 'My family, what should I do?'

Kay dropped B.C. off at her house. B.C. looked at the mansion and laughed. She felt better, having been able to put her feelings into a tangible thought. 'I'm not mad at her because she has to live with having caused so much pain. It must have hard on her, considering all that happened because of my disappearance. The Townsville riots, the super power conflict, that monster island getting nuked, not to mention the pain my real family must have gone through. I know she's a good person, so it must have been killing her for all these years. It's funny even after having my memories hidden, I still had a temper, but now I hardly ever get mad. I guess growing up under Maxwell's wing must have burned it out. But I can't help wondering what it would have been like if I grew up with the Professor and the girls. Would I be like I am now? Would I be the same as I was as a kid? Should I even let them know I'm still alive?' B.C. pondered that last question a little further, 'What if they figured it out already. Bubbles may have been a little dopey as a kid but now she's got her own business and by the looks of it she's doing pretty good. That takes brains, I should know. Even if she suspected a little, I don't doubt she would've told Blossom. Blossom's probably the smartest person in the world. If there was any way of finding out who I am, she'd find it. But if I told them who I am, how would they take it? Would they be angry? Most likely, especially Blossom, and who knows what she'll do. I could probably calm her down and I think Bubbles will help, but I'm not even sure how Bubbles will take it. She seemed to be about the same as she was as a kid, cheerful as ever, but she's always been emotional. She did get angry, and boy did she get angry. If I had a dollar for every time she shrieked at me for something I'd be twice as a rich." B.C. giggled at the memory of her sister, 'Hopefully, she'll just be happy that I'm still alive. And the Professor, hmm, I don't know how he'll take it. Man this whole deal must have been really hard on him, I hope he'll be okay. But if I don't say anything.. Can I even do that to them? I don't know, on one hand I do want to see them again, but on the other hand it might threaten the company. Oh, what should I do?'

B.C. relaxed in her private booth at the Full Moon club. One of the perks of being the daughter of Maxwell Luceid was that the local businesses bent over backwards for her. She normally didn't use the booth unless she needed to, she preferred mixing with other people her age, but in this case she wanted to be alone with James. She was nervous about what she had to tell him. James was one of the biggest fans of super heroes and now she had to tell him he was dating one, a former one to be more accurate. She was unsure how he would take it. But it needed to be done. B.C. had been putting the poor guy through hell. B.C. looked up at the clock, it was past quitting time for James's shift. B.C. waited patiently and sipped the soda she was nursing since she got there.

"Hi, B.C." James sat down across from B.C.

"Hi James." B.C. answered his greeting., "Thanks for coming out here."

"No problem."

"I guess I should tell you what's been eating me lately."

"Well, to be honest it has been bugging me. I want to know why you've been so quiet and distant since you got home from your trip." James told her.

"Okay, I'll talk, but this stays between us. You can't tell anyone about this and I mean it. You've got to swear to not mention this anybody. Got it?"

All James could do was nod in agreement, he'd never seen B.C. this serious before.

B.C. took his timid nod as his vow, "James, I'm really Buttercup Utonium. Twenty years ago I was kidnapped by Kay Scion and brought here to be raised as Maxwell Luceid's daughter."

James's jaw dropped in pure shock, "Y-you're serious? Oh my God, I don't believe this! All this time I've been dating a Powerpuff Girl." James's excitement grew, "This is the coolest thing ever! Oh man, why didn't you tell me this before? Jesus, I've got so many questions I want to ask you."

"JAMES!"

James calmed down when he saw his girlfriend's expression of anger, "Oh sorry. I didn't mean to freak out on you, but still, why didn't you tell me this before?"

"Well, I just found out myself. They erased my memories twenty years. I think Dad sent me to Townsville to see if I could figure it out, some sort of initiation I guess. Once I realized that I was Buttercup, Dad returned my memories."

"So now you're Buttercup instead of B.C.?"

"I'm both actually. I like being B.C. I got a nice home, a great future, friends and family and you. But I'm still Buttercup. I got her memories, her entire life in my head."

"But what about your powers? What happened to them?"

"Nobody told me, but my guess is that they took them away with that machine they used to normalize other super heroes after super powers were outlawed."

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that, that was one of our inventions wasn't it. So what about the other Powerpuff Girls and Professor Utonium?"

"I-I don't know. Part of me wants to see them again but another part of me is afraid of what they might do."

"What would they do?"

"Urrgh, think James. They'd probably tell the media and the authorities and that would be the end of the company as we know it."

"Hmm, that is true, but I don't think they would."

"Huh, how come?"

"Well, I figure the last thing they'd want to do is hurt you, especially after thinking you were dead for twenty years. Seeing as how Max has been such a good father to you, it would hurt you if anything bad happened to him and you are going to succeed him after he retires, so if they went after the company, it would jeopardize your career. I may not know your sisters personally but I know that the Powerpuff Girls stood for everything good and right in this world and there's no way they're going to destroy their own sister."

B.C. smiled while tears formed in her eyes. The young woman got up and grabbed James in a loving embrace, "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, I hope you know that."

"Ha ha, well it's only fair. I feel the same way about you."

B.C. spent the next few hours dancing and having fun with James at the club. After that, she went home to find Maxwell waiting for her.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling pretty good." B.C. smiled.

"Really? You're not mad?"

"Well, part of me is mad. I mean I did miss out on growing up with my real family, and a lot of people got hurt and killed because of this whole deal, but that can't be changed. All I can do is try and run the company as best as I can when the time comes and make it up to the world."

Maxwell laughed, "Unbelievable! When I found out, it took me weeks to be able to forgive Bryant and Mary."

B.C. was perplexed, "Why would you be mad? Weren't you an orphan?"

Maxwell sighed sadly, "Well yes, but there was little girl whom I took care of. She was another orphan lost in the cracks of society like I was. She was like a little sister to me and I loved her with all my heart. I tried to find her after my memories were restored, but she disappeared. I don't know if the Mob had gotten to her or what, but I never saw her again."

"Oh Dad, I'm so sorry."

"Raising you knowing you were stolen from a loving family was the hardest thing I ever had to do, but it was worth it. You've given me lots of joy, and I'll never regret being the father of Bethany Christine Luceid."

"That name.. Why did you name me that?"

Maxwell smiled, "That was her name. I named you after her because you reminded me of her."

B.C. couldn't help but laugh.

"What's so funny?" Maxwell asked.

"The Professor named me Buttercup because is started with a 'B.' He wanted me to fit in with the others after he named them because of their personalities, Bubbles and Blossom. Man was I ticked. I felt so ripped off." B.C. sighed wistfully, "Dad, I need to see them again."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Yeah, I am. I thought about this a lot and I know what the consequences could be, but I still want to see them again. I still stand by what I told you earlier but they're my family too and I need them to be a part of my life."

Maxwell smiled lovingly at B.C., "Then bring them into your life. You have to chance to so, so take it. I've always trusted your judgement and I'm not about to stop."

B.C. went into her room and picked up the phone. It's been twenty years since Buttercup last spoken with her sisters, the real Buttercup who had been sleeping in the mind of Bethany Luceid. B.C. dialed the phone number of Bubbles Utonium. B.C. tried to ignore the nervous clenching of her stomach.

"Hello?" the voice on the other line sounded irritated.

"Uh, Hi Bubbles it's me." B.C. responded.

"Oh, hiya, B.C., how are you today?" the irritation dissolved into a mixture of nervousness, happiness, and surprise.

"Bubbles, listen, I know this is going to sound crazy, but I'm really Buttercup. I wasn't killed twenty years ago. I've been Bethany Luceid all along."


	11. Lost Angel Found

Chapter 11

"Hello? Hello?" Bubbles was so shocked by the B.C.'s revelation that she didn't hear her voice from the phone.

"Bubbles, the phone." Blossom hissed.

Bubble woke up and grabbed the phone, "Yeah, I'm still here, Buttercup." Bubbles felt an enormous sense of joy uttering the name of the sister that she once thought was to her forever. "We know you're Buttercup. Blossom figured it out." Bubbles eyes began to fill with tears, "I'm so glad you're still alive. I've missed you so much."

"I miss you guys too." B.C.'s eyes also began to water. "I want to see all of you again."

"W-We want to see you too." Bubbles was nearly crying, her heart was dancing in pure elation, a feeling she hadn't had in over twenty years. "Blossom and the Professor are here with me, did you want to talk to them?"

"Yeah, but not now. I'm going to make arrangements for one of our company jets to come bring you guys here. I want to see all of you as soon as possible. I'll call back when everything's ready. Okay?"

"Okay, thank you Buttercup. I love you." Bubbles said with a huge smile on her face.

"I love you too Bubbles." B.C. hung up and hurried downstairs to talk to Maxwell about arranging transportation for her family to bring to Wolf's Ridge.

The rest of the family gaped at the smiling Bubbles. "Well, what'd she say?" Blossom asked.

"She's going to send one her company's planes to get us. We're going to see her again." Bubbles answered still smiling. The rest of the broke out in tears of joy, after twenty years, the Utonium family would be whole again.

"You want to bring them here?" Maxwell understood that B.C. wanted to see her old family again but there were risks in letting the very people his family and company robbed of a precious daughter in his city.

"Please Daddy?"

"Beth, er.. Buttercup.."

"You can still call me Beth, Daddy."

'She still calls me Daddy, despite everything?' "I know you want to see them, but are you sure it's wise to bring them here, considering what I've done."

"They need to see how good I have it here. You've given me so much and I want them to know that. They've suffered for so long and if they know that I've had such a wonderful life, maybe it'll make up for the torment they've endured."

Maxwell broke, "You're right. I'll allow you to bring them here." Maxwell expression saddened a little, "I wish that I had the opportunity to bring my Bethany here. Your grandfather wished he could've done the same as you. I'm glad you can do this."

"Thank you Dad."

"Dad.. You still call me that?"

"You are my Dad. Both you and Professor Utonium are my Dad. I can be both Bethany Luceid and Buttercup Utonium, and that's exactly who I'm going to be."

Maxwell shook his head and smiled, 'She's an amazing young woman. I'm lucky to have her for a daughter."

(Next Day)

Professor Utonium leaned back in the comfortable chair on the Luceid owned jet. It was much nicer than the traditional coach seats that he was accustomed to when travelling. But he was too deep in thought to appreciate the niceties of the corporate lifstylee. 'It's been twenty years since I last saw her. I wonder what kind of person she grew into. I wonder if I'll meet the man who'd been acting as her father, Maxwell Luceid. What do I say to him if I do? Do I thank him for taking care of my daughter? Do I hate him for taking her away from me?' The Professor looked at his two present daughters, Blossom was reading a book and Bubbles was staring out the window. Both were eager to be reunited with Buttercup and trying to pass the time it took to fly to Wolf's Ridge, 'They've been through so much and hurt for so long. What do I say to the man who caused that pain.' The Professor didn't know what to do, he was a gentle man at heart, but he was protective of his children and would lash at anyone who would dare to bring harm to them.

"What's up, Professor?" Bubbles asked. "You seem kinda down."

"I've just been thinking Bubbles, that's all."

"About what?"

'What do I say to the man who took away my precious daughter and raised her as his own.' "Nothing in particular." The Professor didn't want to burden his most lighthearted daughter with his heavy thoughts. Bubbles's chronic happiness had always been a source of relief for him before the unpleasantness. After twenty years, he had gotten his old Bubbles back and didn't want to lose her.

"Okay, if you say so." Bubbles frowned and turn her head back to the window.

The Professor thought about it more. 'Why would anyone with a conscience willingly steal a child away from her loving family. What was it like raising a girl that he knew didn't belong to him, knowing you've caused so much harm to the world. Did he even care? Did it even bother him at all?'

B.C. drove her car to the Wolf's Ridge airport with James by her side. The young man was excited, not only was he dating one of the top rated super heroes of the final era but he was going to meet her sisters and creator. This day was a milestone in the young man's life. But he couldn't help but wonder what was going through B.C.'s mind right at the moment. She was going be reunited with a family she hadn't seen in over twenty years, a family she hadn't remembered most of her life, what could that be like.

"What's it like, all of a sudden remembering you had another life?"

"I can't describe it. I guess its like waking up but you weren't asleep. It kinda screws with my head. I mean, I've been Bethany Luceid as far as I could remember, then in one moment I realized that wasn't the case. I remember being Buttercup, what her hopes and dreams were, how she felt about things, how much she loved her father and sisters, and then I realize that its me. Those were my dreams, my feelings, my family and that they were hidden from me. It's not something that I can describe."

"What about Townsville? Are you gonna try and rebuild it?"

"No. Townsville was a disaster waiting to happen. We.. were only delaying the inevitable. The mayor was a senile fool who was more concerned about building statues of himself and eating pickles than running the city, the police were lazy and incompetent and the people were selfish, shallow, brain dead bastards who were too involved with their own superficial lives and prejudices to do anything to help themselves. They expected us to do everything except pick their noses and would turn against us for whatever reason they could find. I was going to quit before Kay snatched me, so what happened to Townsville was going to happen sooner or later. And besides, there's nothing left there, so there's no point in spending our time and resources trying to fix up a dead city."

"I see.. I guess you're right. So what are you going to do when you meet with your family?"

"I'm going to show them around. Tell 'em about my life. Maybe if they can see how well I've done.. it'll make up for all those lost years."

"What do you mean?"

"Bubbles.. when I met her in Citiesville, I could tell my so called death had changed her, she used to be so happy and outgoing. But she was different when I talked to her. She was still sweet and nice but there was something off about her, she wasn't as talkative as she was when we were kids. When she talked about me, I could she the pain in her eyes. Blossom.. her last words to me were in anger. She thought I broke one of the Professor's inventions and said some things. I can't even imagine what the whole incident had done to her. The Professor, he was such a loving father. He was always trying to protect us from everything, even ourselves. Even though he just created us like any of his inventions, he always treated us like real daughters. This whole must have been so hard on them. Maybe, if I let them know that my life went so well, that I have so much going for me, it'll make up for all the years they've suffered."

"Hmm." James thought about it for a second. "Yeah, I'm sure it'll help for them to know you're doing alright." James sat in silence a little longer. "Thanks for bringing me with you. Man, I can't believe I'm going to meet the Powerpuff Girls!"

"Ha ha, well, I'd figure you'd probably shoot me if I didn't let you meet them. And how are they gonna know how good I've got it if they didn't meet the James Peterson, the man who not only found Bubbles but encouraged me to reunite with my long lost family."

"And?"

"And the sweetest, most wonderful man a girl could call her own." B.C. laughed and continued the drive to the airport.

Blossom put down her book and looked out the window. It was Wolf's Ridge, the city where her sister was waiting for them. She had heard of it, but never thought about it much until recently. She felt the anger rise in her when she saw the city. It was the capital of the Luceid Business Empire, the same company that robbed her of twenty years of her life, that robbed her of her childhood, that robbed her of her sister. Blossom suppressed her anger and vowed to get Buttercup's side of the story. 'Maybe I can convince her to leave the company and start her own business or something. If not though, what should I do? I don't want to hurt her or endanger her future but I can't let them get away with taking her. So many people suffered so much because of their actions and they never suffered any consequences.' Blossom shifted uneasily and looked from the scenery to Bubbles. The young woman was obviously excited. Bubbles looked back at Blossom and smiled giddily.

"I can't believe that were going to see her again. This is so cool."

Blossom sighed, "Yeah."

"What's wrong? You don't seem very happy."

"I don't know. I just got a lot on my mind."

"You too, huh? First the Professor and now you. You know, it'd be nice if Buttercup could see how happy her family is to see her after all these years. What could you two be thinking about that's making you so damn miserable." Bubbles frowned and looked at the both of them. "Lemme guess, you're both still mad about the Luceid Corporation making us believe that we drove her to her doom. Well, would you both like to know what I think."

"Bubbles, please don't." the Professors meekly said.

"No, you both need to hear this. We did drive her away, all of us! Buttercup was always looking out for us. When we needed her the most, she was there. Whenever our enemies had us cornered, she'd lay it on the line to see that we were safe. And when we needed someone to talk to, someone to play with, she'd be there to do the job. Yet, all we could do is remember is all the bad stuff she did. We always saw her as the bad girl, the ill-tempered tomboy who could never fit in." Bubbles was shaking in rage. "This Miss Kay gave her someone to talk to, a friend she could rely on. We were the ones who should've been that person. When Buttercup needed us the most, what did we do? We stabbed her in the back, I let her take the blame for something I did, the Professor accused her without even hearing her out, and you, Blossom, you had to throw Mojo in her face. We treated her like crap at her worst moment and you two have the nerve to blame the Luceids. Well, that's fine, you guys can do whatever you want. All I'm going to do is let her know how grateful I am that I got a second chance to be her sister, and I'm going to do that for the rest of my life."

The Professor and Blossom looked at the blonde in total shock. They had never seen such an outburst from the young woman. Blossom turned her head away, ashamed. The Professor on the other decided to address her charges.

"Now Bubbles, I can't speak for Blossom, but I do know that the actions the Luceids took caused irreparable harm to you and your sister. I'm glad that revenge is the furthest thing from your mind, but, as your father, it isn't as easy for me to forgive. You girls are the world to me, and when this type of pain is inflicted on you, I feel it as well." The Professor got up from his seat, sat down next to Bubbles, and wrapped his arm around her. "Bubbles, the furthest thing from my mind is beating a dead horse. But please understand, I'm not going to forget the last twenty years and I do intend on letting Mr. Luceid know how the actions of his company has affected our family. And as far as how we treated her, we did our best. Buttercup was always a private and obstinate child. It was difficult getting her to open up, but that's how she was, and I respected that, because I was the same way at her age." The Professor looked thoughtfully and said, "Maybe, that's why I didn't hear her out is because I thought she was more like me than she really was." The Professor's face turned stern, "But, that doesn't justify the pain you girls suffered. Do you understand?"

"But.."

"Look, Bubbles, I understand where you're coming from, and you do have a good point. We should concentrate in letting Buttercup know how happy we are in knowing she's still alive and celebrate that fact. But you need to understand how I feel as a father." The Professor turned towards Blossom, "Blossom, do you have anything you like to add?"

"No Professor." Blossom said not moving her head.

"Well the plane is beginning to land, so let's forget about this for now. Maybe after we meet with Buttercup, we can decide what to do next."

"Yes, Professor." The Girls said simultaneously. Blossom watched the ground close in, briefly reminding her of her glory days. The Professor's rebuttal to Bubbles pretty well covered how she felt. The Luceid Corporation hurt all of them, but if there was anyway of getting justice, Buttercup was the key.

B.C. watched the plane taxi its way to the gate. After twenty years, the Utonum family would be reunited. The plane stopped and unloaded it passengers. Bubbles was the first one out into terminal. Buttercup wondered why Bubbles had looked more like they used to than her. 'I guess the Professor just took their powers away or hid them in case of an emergency. I'll have to ask him about how he did it.'

"BUTTERCUP!" Bubbles shrieked joyously and immediately embraced her long lost sister. B.C. tried to hug her sister back but was held to tight to move.

"Ack, Bubbles, too tight."

"Oh, sorry." Bubbles relaxed her grip and looked at her sister. "It's so good to see you again. I thought I'd lost you forever."

"It's good to see you too." B.C. told her. She felt tears beginning to form in her eyes. "Where are the others?"

"Right here." Blossom answered from behind Bubbles, all smiles.

"Blossom? Professor?" B.C. looked at the rest of her family and pulled them into a family hug. The Utoniums had found their lost angel.

James had seen sights like this on TV and at the movies, but those instances paled in comparison to the real life thing. It was classic, a long lost family reunited. All laughing and crying and hugging and kissing. James almost laughed, if they had been watching something like this on TV, B.C. would be making fun of it. But he knew there was real emotion here, these were real people, not actors. Eventually the four broke up and B.C. led the others to him.

"Guys, I want you meet my boyfriend, James Peterson. We've been going out since high school."

Bubbles's eyes lit up like a kid's at Christmas, "You have a boyfriend?"

"Yup, he's the one who helped me find you, Bubbles."

Bubbles giggled and shook James hand, "It's pleasure to meet you. Thank you for helping Buttercup find me."

"Uh, no problem." James nervously replied, he still couldn't believe he was meeting the Powerpuff Girls. He always dreamt of meeting a superhero, but never thought it would actually happen. He was so shocked to learn that all along he had been dating one, especially since B.C. never took any interest in them. 'I wonder why that is.' He thought momentarily before losing himself in the thrill of the moment.

Blossom and B.C. sat at one table at the airport cafeteria. While James, Bubbles and the Professor sat together taking turns talking each other's ear off, Blossom and B.C. had their own private conversation.

"So, Bubbles tells me you had it pretty good here." Blossom mentioned to B.C.

"Yeah, I had a pretty good life." B.C. felt awkward telling Blossom that.

"That's good." Blossom felt a little embarrassed. She hadn't seen her sister in twenty years and that was the best she could come up with.

"How about you? What have you been doing all this time? What did you do after you guys left Townsville?"

Blossom proceeded to tell B.C. her life after Townsville, her experiences in school, growing up in Notte Falls and her current career as a private investigator. B.C. went pale listening to Blossom.

"I can't believe I missed so much."

Blossom sniffed sadly, "I lost count of how many times I wished you were there with us. No matter how happy an event was, I could never bring myself to fully enjoy it. All I could think ever think about was.."

"What you last said to me?"

"Yes." Blossom began sobbing, "Oh Buttercup, please forgive me. I-I didn't mean it. I was so mad.."

B.C. gently grasped Blossom's hand and stroked it reassuringly, "We all do dumb stuff when we're mad. I know that all too well." B.C. sighed thoughtfully, "It's in the past now. Please don't dwell on it any further."

"O-okay." Blossom regained her self-control, "Were you really going to quit?"

"Yeah, between you and me, I've been thinking about it since you were almost killed. It was just a passing thought at first, but then Kay kind of led me down that path. She pointed out some things, put thoughts into my head . I guess she made it clear how I felt about it."

Blossom's eyes lit up in anger, "Kay, she's the one who.."

"Yeah, she's the one who had kidnapped me and faked my death. Please don't be mad at her. It was really hard for her to do it. She really did care about me and knowing how much devastation she caused hurt her."

"Yeah, but.. I understand. Are you still going to run the Luceid Corporation."

"Yeah." B.C. could see the disappointment on Blossom's face, "I understand how you feel Bloss, but you gotta understand that it was what I was raised to do. There are a lot of people counting on me. If someone else was in charge, they might run the company with profits in mind, not our employees or the people in the small towns ruined by disasters. I can't trust anybody with that responsibility, I need to do it."

"But.."

"Please Blossom, I know you're upset. I lost twenty years of my life, twenty years of being Buttercup, but endangering the jobs of millions of Americans won't bring those years back. All I can do is run this company the right way, the way I was taught to run it. If I do that, I can help other people fulfil their dreams, live the way they want, help them while they help me. Do you understand?"

Blossom smiled, "Yeah, I do." She did understand, even though she could never allow herself to fully forgive the Luceid Corporation, if they went down, a lot of innocent people would be taken down with them. Also, Buttercup had been raised to revere the company. She would run it, regardless of Blossom's feelings. And she would run it the way it should be ran. She'd assure that jobs would stay in the country while it expanded. Blossom felt an overwhelming sense of pride. Buttercup had grown into an intelligent and responsible young woman who would lead an entire multi-national corporation. Of course she'd talk to Buttercup about ending Luceid's Child, and the heartbreak and torment it caused, but that could wait for later. As for her own justice, she figured that "Miss Kay" had to live with the pain she caused, and that was justice in and of itself. There was no need to endanger her sister's future for the sake of her own satisfaction. The redhead got up and embraced Buttercup. Blossom finally understood what Bubbles had meant on the plane and she was right, she had her sister back, and that was enough for her.

B.C. drove her newfound family and James back to her home, Bubbles and James jabbering about comic books the whole trip. Blossom quietly joked that B.C. might end up losing the young man to their blonde sister. Eventually, B.C. reached the Luceid mansion. Kurt greeted her at the door.

"Welcome back, Miss Luceid. Mr. Luceid asked to have a private word with Professor Utonium. If that's alright with you sir."

"O-Of course." The Professor was a bit surprised that Mr. Luceid was willing to speak with him so quickly. He hadn't even decided how to address the issues between them.

"Thank you sir. Please follow me."

The Professor looked at his long lost daughter, as if to ask what to expect.

"It'll be okay, Professor. He-He's a good man." B.C. told him. The Professor nodded and a turned toward the butler. Kurt led the Professor away from his daughters. As he followed the butler, he heard Buttercup. call out, "C'mon guys, let me show you the guest rooms so you both can pick one out." Professor Utonium smiled briefly. It felt good to see and hear his daughters together again after for what seemed like an eternity. The scientist was led through the elegant hallways to a set of double doors. Kurt opened one door and let the Professor in.

"Welcome to my home, Professor Utonium." The Professor was greeted by Maxwell Luceid. He could tell the man was at least twenty years younger than him. The Professor briefly thought about his own gray hair self-consciously while looking at Buttercup's younger "father." "Please, have a seat."

"Um.. Thank you, Mr. Luceid." The Professor sat down in a seat opposite the desk Maxwell was sitting at.

"First off, I want to apologize for what I and the Luceid Company had done to you and your family. Buttercup was an amazing child and her loss was undoubtedly devastating for you." The Professor opened his mouth to speak but Maxwell raised a hand to silence him. "However, I don't expect you to forgive me, not right away anyways. But I would like you to read something written by one of my.. ahem.. ancestors." Maxwell pulled an old yet very well preserved piece of paper from his desk and handed it to the Professor. The Professor read the text.

'June 9th 1906—Today is day I meet my new son. The lad was a young laborer from one of my competitor's workhouses that had burned down a month before. The boy had nobly risked his life to help his fellows escape the inferno before young Miss Anna liberated him and brought him to a secret location to treat the boy and prepare him for life as my son. Though I have often cursed the cruelty my business adversaries partake in running their filthy workhouses and factories, I could not compare it to the cruelty that I have brought upon the child's family. I regret not bringing an end to the practice prescribed by ancestor and now, like my previous family, this boy's family will lament the loss of their precious son. Miss Anna claimed that the boy's family was large, and doubted he would be terribly missed, but her eyes tell me she wishes only to hide the truth. I pray that my son can succeed where I had failed, and bring an end of the sinful practice of tearing goodly children from the arms of those who love them. Until then, I shall raise the boy as dictated by my own upbringing, and hope that the good lord shall forgive me for my crime against the family which sired this honorable young man.'

The Professor looked back at Maxwell, "Why are you showing me this?"

"I want you to understand that I was not ignorant of the hurt that we caused nor that I've taken any pleasure in it. For generations each of us had been trying to put an end to Luceid's Child. My grandmother and father thought that taking an orphan was the answer.. but.. still someone important to me was lost forever, because of them."

"But why my Buttercup?"

Maxwell sighed sadly, "Kay's father was a scientist who had heard of your daughters and their heroics. He suggested that we should investigate them and see if one of them had the potential to become the next Luceid's Child. Kay had formed a bond with Buttercup, which I believe was the main contributing factor to her suggestion of the child. Hearing of Buttercup's saving the people of Townsville while jeopardizing her own reputation greatly impressed us. We knew she was the one, but.. I struggled with knowing the harm I would cause. My father ran the company then, but the ultimate decision was mine. I tried desperately to find a way to bypass the old rules of secluding the child from her family, but Kay feared for your daughter's mental well being. She knew the people of Townsville had turned against the girl and let us know how she felt about Buttercup staying there for too long. It was the most terrible decision I ever had to make. I told my father I would raise the girl, but.. I knew the cost. Do you understand what I telling you?"

"Yes." The Professor could see the sincerity in the businessman's eyes. "But I want you to know because of your actions, my daughters suffered greatly. I apperciate that you and your associates understood what you have done to me and my family, but it still doesn't change the fact that my daughters grew up without their sister. Also, Buttercup's abduction came at the worse time. Bubbles and Blossom were convinced that they drove their sister to her demise and had to live with that guilt. Do _you_ understand what I am telling _you_."

"I had no idea.. If there's any way I can make it up to you.."

"Being reunited with my daughter is enough, Mr. Luceid." The Professor stood up briskly, "But I would like to thank you for speaking to me and for taking care of Buttercup. I can tell she's grown to become a fine young woman. But if there's anyway you can prevent this from happening again, please.."

"It's up to her now. I hope she can succeed where the rest of us have failed."

The Professor bid Mr. Luceid farewell and went back to the girls. Buttercup's boyfriend and the butler were hauling the luggage inside the house. Bubbles came bounding up to him in a childish display he hadn't seen since before the unpleasantness in Townsville.

"Professor, you should see the cool room I picked. It's gotta a bunch cute little stuffed animals and.."

"Okay, okay, I'll take a look at it, Bubbles." The Professor laughed and looked at Buttercup who was pleasantly chatting with Blossom. 'It's up to her now. If she can't though.. She's still my daughter. It may have been twenty years, but she's still my daughter, no matter what.'

Four Years Later

B.C. walked into the hospital room. Awaiting her was new son. She cursed her self as she looked at the sleeping boy. 'Another nightmare for some innocent family. God, why couldn't I put a stop to this.' She knew his backstory, he had discovered some state governor's connection to a major drug smuggling operation and blew the whistle. Karen had saved the boy from the thugs who had murdered his biological father and was coming after him. But there were other family members, a mother and twin sister, who would survive and think they had lost two family members. She cursed herself again because not only was she tearing another family apart, but she had let down her own real family. She promised Blossom that she'd do everything in her power to prevent this from happening but the tradition was too hardwired into the corporate laws. She sighed and looked at sleeping boy. 'He sort of looks like James. I guess that's good since we're going to get married soon.' B.C. turned toward Karen who was also looking sadly at the young boy. "The rest, are they safe?"

"The FBI took them, just to be safe. I had to tell them, I had to lie to them.. How.. am I supposed to live with myself?"

"You'll find a way, you girls always do." B.C. turned towards the boy. "Just like we did."

THE END

Thanks to all who reviewed, especially Hairy Gregory and PinkPuff. You guys rock.


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